YES, BUILD the Nicaraguan Canal

Here are my reasons why:

1.    Media: Nicaraguan lake is pristine; it is the Galapagos of Central America; it is the main water supply for all Central America; etc.

Opinion:

The Lake of Nicaragua as beautiful as is receives an incredible amount of untreated sewage (domestic, industrial, commercial) and contaminated runoff from cattle and farming. Water quality is deteriorating every day and if measures are not taken soon it will turn into a total lost.

Nicaraguans are lucky to have more water per capita than many other countries around the world however there are so many local communities without access to potable water due to the lack of a plumbing system.

To my knowledge there is not either supply to the rest of Central America, not large pipe systems have been built with this purpose, and no other Central American nation has demanded such supply.

Money generated from the canal can be used to clean the lake directly, create wetlands, reforestation, conservation and preservation of other areas that are in peril due to deforestation and climate changes. Many treatment plans and pipeline systems can be built (potable and sanitary) to ensure reliable, safe, clean water is delivered to all communities and disposal of sewage in environmental manners.

2. Media: Environmental Disaster, salinity of the lake, oil spills, loss of fauna and flora, sedimentation clogging the lake, mayor pollution overall, canal will make the Lake no longer potable, etc.

Opinion:

There are not man made project on earth that will not alter the environmental in some negative way. Indeed, it will be acres of pristine undisturbed rainforest that will go underwater with the creation of the artificial lake Atlanta and deforestation to allow for the construction of the canal itself.

On the other hand, Nicaraguan tourism is growing it is becoming an important contribution to the internal domestic product, creating jobs and reducing poverty. Tourists are attracted to Nicaragua for its natural beauty and Nicaraguans are becoming more conscious of the importance of preserving the environment, hence the concerns to build a canal that may result into an environmental disaster.

Nowadays the technology and the knowledge exist such as to minimize such impacts, mitigating, and diminishing disturbance to the environmental. It is in hands of the planners, engineers, builders, inspectors, and government to ensure the best available technologies are used and implemented during its construction. If done properly with passion and desire to provide an excellent work, it can turn, indeed, to be one of the most celebrated engineering works in the world.

Nicaragua is been ravaged by deforestation, legal and illegal selling of wood to foreign countries. The construction of the Canal will mean creation of jobs, and reduction of poverty providing for some of those people deforesting illegally the possibility of turning them around with help of the government, establishing laws that indeed protect the rest of Nicaraguan forests and providing the resources to implement such protection.  Even if the Canal is not built, Nicaragua can still lose slowly its forests if not severe measures are taken and money invested into it. Money injected from the Canal could help preserve the majority of Nicaragua’s rainforest if the government uses those revenues accordingly.

Increment on salinity, sedimentation of the lake, water of the lake will no longer be potable: Besides what was mentioned before on point one, an artificial Lake was created in Panama, Lake Gatun, with the purpose to store water and feed the Panama Canal during dry seasons similar to the proposed Lake Atlanta for the Nicaraguan Canal. I found in a recent environmental report that water quality in Lake Gatun remains at a sufficient high level such that little treatment is required for potable water. One cannot say the same for Lake Nicaragua which even without the Canal built its waters need more than a little treatment to comply with satisfactory potable water requirements. The environmental report for Lake Gatun states the water quality at most locations in the system was very good. Study results indicated that water quality was good except for locations where there were discharges from canal support facilities (industrial needing treatment prior discharge into the lake) or where tributaries (rivers) contaminated with high waste loads (nutrients from agriculture and cattle). Again, there are many solutions nowadays to avoid salinity and sedimentation as long as the job IS WELL DONE. One example given by the Chinese was not to use dynamite on the lake instead of dragging and the utilization of containers to avoid spread of sediments.

Oil Spills: I researched and googled how many times the Panama Canal have had an oil spill and could not find one. All I could get is that Panama has a very strict plan in place to avoid and prevent spills. The Panama Canal has established a preparedness program for oil spill emergencies in Panama Canal waters. In the response sequence to an oil spill, the activation of the response is the responsibility of the vessel. Besides internal actions taken by the vessel, the panama authorities will respond in accordance with its contingency plan. Nicaragua shall implement a preparedness program for oil spill as well that make vessels responsible for any spills from the moment they enter national waters. All measures should be taken by each vessel internally to avoid such spill. Vessel should be in custody inside and outside. All precautions taken to avoid it and in the case it happens have in place methods to break its spread and rapidly control it making the vessel pay for all cost associated with such labor and program so they make it of importance to ensure vessels are prepared to cross the canal without causing any detriment to the environment and the lake.

Carbon production and pollution overall: The Nicaragua Canal would save some 1,400 km seaway in reaching Japan, China and South Korea from the Gulf of Mexico. Most maritime transport from Asia to U.S. East Coast is done via the Suez Canal; once the vessels reach the U.S. goods are transported by train to the west coast. Calculate the amount of Carbon dioxide is been reduced by the maritime miles saved and the long train ride from coast to coast? That will be a significant amount of pollutant reduction on the planet. Moreover, less labor, less energy, and less costs. Humanity is looking forward to increasing efficiency and minimizing impacts due to climate change. Vessels will continue to get larger and larger, more efficient, less detrimental to the environment, there will be more competition between companies making these vessels, and new comers will rival Maersk and Mediterranean Shipping the largest vessels manufacturers in the world. The construction of the Nicaragua canal would provide a new maritime route which would facilitate the passage of those present and future large ships which the Panama Canal even with its expansion and the Suez Canal won’t be able to accommodate. "Ninety percent, 90% of world trade is by sea. Shipping is cheaper and more convenient than transport by rail”.

3.    Media: Money will stay within the powerful and Chinese, the average Nicaragua will not see changes; The Canal will not create that many local jobs as stated by the Chinese; Critics of the plan are skeptical that the economic benefits of the canal will reach the poor.

Opinion:

During the construction of the Panama Canal the U.S. didn't allow Panamanian businesses to sell goods or services in the Canal Zone, it avoided the employment of Panamanian workers, and it used its military leverage to force Panama into accepting a low payment for the Canal territory. Nicaragua starts with better conditions than those given by the USA to Panama, Nicaragua will receive $10 Million dollars a year from the first year of operations; will own 1% of actions each year, by the year 11, Nicaragua will own 10% of the Company; will provide employment to Nicaragua workers during its construction based on regulatory state salaries, and that is only the peak of the iceberg, once built many international banks and firms will make Nicaragua their home creating jobs, those employees will require better and more housing and other facilities that will generate as well employment for locals. There are also the new ports, airports, and adjacent facilities to the Canal Zone that will move economy in the right direction. This will mean for Nicaragua a Kangaroo’s jump in its economy and will benefit most of Central America. The agriculture and livestock industries throughout the Americas could more efficiently tap into the Asian markets by using the new wider canal.

Look at Panama today, even though, they did not get the greatest deal from the USA with the construction of the Panama Canal, their economy is one of the best in Latin America. Panama is a prosperous economy, with an economic growth rate of 8.4 percent. When walking through Panama it is evident money is trickling down to the less fortune and the poorest with implications that result in a boost of regional economic activity and an overall increase in the standard of living.

If the Nicaraguan Canal is built with the highest standards, Nicaragua will move forward socially and economically, faster than if the Canal is never built. It will be a development process that will help us get rid of our main enemy – poverty.

4.  Media: Nicaragua does not have the labor capabilities, technology, or money to build it.

Opinion:

Correct! Nicaragua is presently in the same situation as Panama was when USA built the Panama Canal however today Panamanians are consider expert in the matter. Nicaraguans started already preparing themselves and they will learn and grow acquiring knowledge throughout the years. At present, will be the Chinese companies leading this project adding enormously to its prospects of success. Chinese firms have built up a wealth of experience and expertise with large infrastructure projects. No less than 9 of the world’s 12 longest bridges are in China, all of them built over the last decade or so. The world’s longest bridge in the world – by far – is the Danyang-Kunshan Grand Bridge on the Beijing-to-Shanghai high-speed rail link. Humanity has better technologies than those existing 100 years ago when the Panama Canal was built and we are more conscious of the implications human activity causes in the environment and climate change, therefore I believe the Chinese will do a conscious job since they are presenting themselves as responsible for its construction around the world. As Mr. Wang Jing mentioned during an interview with BBC news, "The biggest pressure comes from having to win recognition from the world. I cannot let this project become an international joke."

5.    Media: indigenous, farmers, fisherman will be displaced from their homes; some reports estimate that as many as one hundred thousand people, including several indigenous groups, could be displaced by the canal construction.

Opinion:

Yes, I can only imagine the families’ emotions threaten by displacement. No one likes to be “kicked out” of their homes where lots of hard work was put into and so much family history was created. Per statistics the majority of Nicaraguans approve of the Canal however the majority been affected by its construction are against it. All around the world, most countries exercise what is called “eminent domain” given the government the right to expropriate private properties for mostly public works having as objective to improve the wellbeing of the majority in a community. As a Civil engineer, I have participated in many projects where eminent domain is exercised. Yes not easy but necessary. The majority is asking the affected ones to relocate, not to move to another country or change their culture. This is where the government needs to be transparent and fair, providing a just compensation at fair market value, help with relocation, or exchange those properties for lands similar in extension and environment. Though emotional distress for loss of property can’t be measured in dollars, the affected should be compensated regardless for loss of business, difficult relocation, and to certain extent emotional distress.

6.   Media: Nicaragua's geological instability, including active volcanos and earthquakes, as one reason the Nicaraguan canal was never built in the first place and will put at risk the construction and investment.

Opinion:

Natural catastrophes happen all the time all around the world. Nicaraguan Canal was not built due to a hypothetical volcano eruption. It has been over 100 years since that idea and to my knowledge that eruption has not yet happened and who says that in another 100 will or will not happen. If fear was the main issue guiding the construction of the most famous and celebrated engineering achievements around the world, if mankind had hesitated, it would be difficult to dream now with the Grand Interoceanic Canal of Nicaragua. We would not have the Great Wall of China, the Eiffel Tower, the Christ of Corcovado, the Statue of Liberty, the Moai of Easter Island or the Basilica of St. Peter's Basilica in Rome.  I loved how USA decided to rebuilt after September 2011 regardless of the loss and pain suffered, that is exactly what characterizes the forward moving of humanity, in case of distress, one shall stand together and tall, built stronger, and demonstrate to the world the will to continue living, prospering, and making things even better.

7.    Conclusions:

If the canal is built using the best available technologies, ensuring less detriment to the environment, government consciousness and transparency, fair compensation and relocation of affected communities, builders/ planners taking it as more than just business but keeping in mind to do the best job possible when creating a project that will be perceived around the world as one of the most significant engineering projects achieved by mankind, and the project will be part of their legacy, the Nicaraguan Canal will be a great success and will transform the economy of many countries and people’s lives.

The vision is very significant, but the reality is, a lot of people, including myself, are still skeptical that this will happen either for lack of transparency, lack of financing, geopolitical problems and concerns, etc. however as the project will systematically advance, critics and doubts will begin to fade and when it feels more tangible the project will enter its final stretch. I believe USA should not see the Nicaraguan Canal as a geopolitical problem with China and Russia, now the global economy is so developed, that USA should jump at the opportunity and ensure the Canal maximizes benefits for the US economy. At the pace USA is increasing its oil and natural gas reserves it will soon become one of the main exporters of these products and will certainly benefit enormously from the Nicaraguan Canal. I think Americans will be happy to see it! One has to remember the Nicaraguan Canal will be complementary to the Panama Canal and will boost trade because it will allow the passage of ships of up to 23 thousand containers, while with the Panama Canal expansion project the expectation is that it will be able to handle up to 14 thousand containers.

Mr. Wang Jing also mentioned during his interview with BBC that he hopes people will pay more attention to the project and less attention to him, that the project belongs to the world, and he belongs to himself”. Absolutely agree with Mr. Jing but the reality may be different than his expectations, at first, most people will be paying attention to the project itself but as time goes by the attention, whether it is a success or failure, will be attributed to him. I pray for Mr. Jing, that as a chief executive officer of the project he will be systematically detailed and he will deliver a successful project exemplary of greatest engineering achievement around the world. The construction of the Nicaragua Canal will be his legacy and his name will transcend the limits of thought and history.