business & economy

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Business & Economy Briefs

Protest over jobs lost years ago

Former employees of the ports of Cristobal and Balboa, which used to be run by the governmental National Ports Authority that was for the most part privatized in the Perez Balladares administration by awarding a concession to run those ports to Hong Kong-based Hutchison Whampoa say they have a legal right to compensation for the loss of their jobs in the deal. Panama Ports, the Hutchison Whampoa subsidiary, doesn't directly deny that claim but says that it has lived up to all of its contractual obligations and that any compensation that may be owed is the responsibility of the Panamanian government. Successive administrations have pointed the ex-employees toward the company for compensation. Here on Avenida Balboa, this group of former port workers puts the onus on the company. Photo by Eric Jackson