The control of the Panama Canal was handed over to Panama on 31 December 1999. In the first of a new series, Alun Lewis looks at the major programme of modernisation aimed at re-engineering the canal for the 21st century. It took 60 years for the canal to be completed, with early attempts thwarted by tropical disease and rugged terrain. Lewis goes on site to meet the Panamanians who have taken responsibility for the maintenance, modernisation and smooth running of one of the world's most vital trade routes.
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