GENEVA (ILO News) ─ The President of Panama, Martín Torrijos, today told the annual conference of the ILO that work to expand the Panama Canal will be carried out with respect for decent work and labour rights, and profits from the Canal will be used to combat poverty, which he described as “a universal shame” requiring firm political decisions.
“This time, all workers participating in this epochal event will see their labour rights respected”, Mr. Torrijos told delegates to the 97th International Labour Conference which runs till 13 June in Geneva. “This way, we will honour the 10th anniversary of the ILO Declaration on Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work, and in particular our commitment to promote and strengthen decent work.”
The President reminded government, workers’ and employers’ delegates from around the world attending the ILO meeting that the original construction of the Canal which was opened in 1914, cost thousands of workers their lives. Extension works today, he added, “are in many ways different from the works that linked the two oceans in the early 20th century”.
ILO Director-General Juan Somavia, who introduced the President of Panama to the delegates, said that “social motivations were underlying his policies” and that efforts were made to ensure that economic growth will translate into well-being for the population. He also stressed the “readiness for dialogue” of the administration of Mr. Torrijos, who took over as President in 2004.
Mr. Somavia added that this attitude was also reflected in the process of dialogue that characterized the expansion of the Canal. He said the commitment to undertake these emblematic works under the sign of decent work were “the best tribute we can pay today to those who originally built the canal”.
Mr. Torrijos said “an infrastructure needed for world trade does not exempt any entity or any contractor from complying with international commitments on labour matters to which Panama had subscribed and to which the country had reiterated its commitment solemnly today in this forum”.
Referring to the impact of the construction, he said that “we have ensured that the profits from the Canal contribute to poverty eradication, sustainable and measurable policies over time”, adding that “investment programs for 10,000 million dollars over 17 years” had been approved as part of “a tremendous effort of cooperation”.
“In the era of astonishing technological advances we are living, poverty is a universal shame”, Mr. Torrijos told the participants of the tripartite ILO Conference. He also warned that the hike in food prices could reverse the progress made so far, and that, if the problem was not resolved “millions of people will be in the grip of poverty they just left again, annihilating efforts made over decades”.
“I would like to use this special forum of the ILO to urge heads of State and Government around the world to commit to comprehensive policies boosting productivity, competitiveness and decent work”, he added.
The head of State also said that his government “had endorsed” the principles of decent work promoted by the ILO, as part of “a commitment that does not allow for exceptions”, and that this was reflected in the recent adoption of a national programme for the promotion of decent work, with the active participation of employers and workers.
The President also confirmed the commitment of Panama to ratify the ILO Maritime Convention adopted in 2006.