Panama Assembly approves Canal expansion plan

Panama Assembly approves Canal expansion plan    Panama’s National Assembly has unanimously approved the proposal to expand the Panama Canal and mandated a national referendum in which the people of Panama will vote on the expansion proposal.
   According to the legislation passed last Friday, the referendum will be held Oct. 22, the first Sunday 90 days after the legislation is signed.
   “Expansion would be good for Panama, good for the maritime industry, and good for world trade. Now, the decision rests with the Panamanian people,” said Alberto Alem'n Zubieta, the canal authority’s administrator and chief executive officer.
   The Panama Canal expansion would be the largest project at the Canal since its original construction. The project would double the waterway’s capacity and allow more traffic by creating a new lane through the construction of a new set of locks.