WOMEN AND THE WESTERN LIFESTYLE

Built in the 1800s, the Panama Canal is a ship canal constructed to improve maritime trade. It bridges the Pacific and Atlantic oceans in order to shorten the distance cargo ships need travel. While this is typically a good thing for business, it may now be getting better as a new project aimed at expanding the canal has been proposed by the Panama Canal Authority.

The project goes by the name of the Third Set of Locks Project. This name is related to one of its goals, which is to construct lock complexes at both the Atlantic and Pacific ends of the canal. These lock systems are aimed at resolving the water preservation issues which have come up in the past with the canal’s continued use. The Panama Canal Authority also aims to not only construct additional access channels to the canal but widen those that already exist. These channels will all also had their depth increased when the project has finished.

The work of expanding the canal is classified as a mega project. This means its construction and completion could deeply impact both nearby communities as well as the environment. Not only that, but it is also expected to cost more than one billion US dollars. A great deal of public attention has been drawn to the project as a result of its scope.

Work on the project commenced as of September 2007, with a completion date set sometime in the year 2015. As already mentioned there has been significant publicity and talk as a result, with a fair amount of it being positive. The project does indeed have many potential benefits not only to those who use the canal but to the country of Panama itself. For one, it is anticipated that the project will pay for itself in due time and then begin providing its investors with a substantial rate of return.

Beyond that, it is believe that the project will reduce the level of poverty within Panama by about 30%. This benefit will be generated by the increasing demand for all kinds of labor involved directly with the project or related to it. Of course the improved channels and new traffic lane constructed by the project can likely bring in higher toll revenues as well.

For those who have investments within the shipping industry as or trade that goes on throughout the canal this can mean big profits as well. The increase in capacity for cargo ships will likely make for more revenue. This increase in return can directly impact not only traders and businessmen but the country of Panama itself. With these propose financial benefits, however, there is still a question of the environmental effects of the canal expansion.

The Panama Canal Authority has performed studies regarding the environmental impact of its project and claims that no significant damage will be done environmentally. The area in which the work will be done is already owned by the organization and no major community upheaval is necessary for its work to be done. It also states that the lock systems being installed are intended to mitigate the environmental impacts of the increase in usage of the canal.

As already mentioned the project is intended to have reached completion by 2015. This is expected to be a time signaling new prosperity within the country of Panama. Time will tell, and during its construction there will no doubt be many parties interested in seeing just what happens.