MOBILING WORKERS TO THE COSTERA

To celebrate the Bicentennial of Panama's Independence of Spain and also the 48 years after the creation of the National Workers's Council (CONATE), the Minister of Culture (MiCultura), Carlos Aguilar Navarro presided at the ceremony to install the Monument to Workers in a space at the Ripple.

The monument to the workers was established in 2001 in the gardens adjacent to the building that houses the Museo Anthropológica Reina Torres de Arauz at Plaza Junto de Mayo, but as a result of the works of restoration of the museum and the recovery of the urban environment had to be taken the measure of transferring it to another place.

In the presence of CONATE's co-ordinator, Isabel Guzmán and other leaders of its various organizations, Minister Aguilar Navarro recognized the contribution of the working class to contributing to the development of the country.

Minister Aguilar Navarro gave a greeting from the President and Vice President of the Republic to the workers at this new anniversary of the creation of CONATO and called on workers' organisations to participate in all dialogues where they are invited to participate by the Executive because "we have a common goal: to fight poverty and inequality.

In co-ordination with CONATO leaders and other national government ministries an agreement was reached about the destination of the monument and "we have not only restored it but have also committed ourselves to finding a good location" and today we have been put into place at the "Plaza de los Monumentos" of the Coast Ribbon.

The Minister of Culture also noted that after attaining the conquest of national sovereignty with the issue of the Channel, there are aims that the President of the Republic, Laurentino Cortizo referred to as the conquest of the Sixth Frontier that is fight against inequality and against poverty and so called upon the workers to "re-join the goals that united us for justice and equity."

For his part, Isabel Guzmán, co-ordinator of the working group expressed his gratitude for the interest shown by the Ministry of Culture and other national government agencies to relocate this monument through which workers are paid tribute because it also serves to exalt the work of thousands of men and women with their labor and from their profession or profession in which they come to the wealth of the country.

In her speech, CONATE co-ordinator referred especially to ministers Aguilar Navarro, his public works counterpart, Rafael Sabonge and other officials as well as to trade unionist Sebastian Quiros of FSTRP who established the mechanisms to relocate this monument.