Panamanians vote on canal expansion

Panamanians went to the polls Sunday in a referendum on a proposed widening of the 92-year-old Panama Canal.

Around 2.13 million Panamanians are expected to cast their ballots in the referendum, and preliminary results are expected late Sunday night.

Under the expansion plan, a new set of locks are to be added to the existing two to allow two-way traffic through the canal and accommodate larger ships.

Earlier opinion polls showed that about 70 percent of voters will support the 5.25-billion-dollar modernization plan to allow passage of bigger ships between the Pacific and Atlantic oceans.

The 80-kilometer-long Panama Canal is the only central passage for ships between the Pacific and the Atlantic oceans. Need has been growing for expansion of the canal as international trade keeps in a upswing trend.

The planned expansion of the canal, if given green light, will be completed by 2015. It is believed the new Panama Canal will provide a boon for international trade.

The Panama Canal was opened in 1914 by the United States. Thousands of people lost their lives during the 10 years of canal construction. Panama regained sovereignty over the passage on December 31, 1999.

Source: Xinhua