NSU Horizons Spring 2016

31 NSU HORIZONS —Isabel Saint Malo de Alvarado, (M.B.A., ’95) Vice President, Republic of Panama Q You flew to Havana to personally tell Cuban leader Raúl Castro that Cuba would be invited to the first summit meetings since they began in 1994. How did you feel when you relayed that invitation, knowing it was a historic moment? A I was very proud and honored to be the one to personally invite Cuba to participate for the first time at the Summit of the Americas; but mostly, proud and honored to be rep- resenting Panama, the real star of this historic moment. Q Last year was the 100th anniversary of the opening of the Panama Canal. What do you see as the impact of the expansion project on both sides of the country and for Panamanians? The expected overall cost is $5.3 billion. When will the canal expansion be completed? A The Panama Canal expansion has become a significant source of job opportunities and training for professionals in different job fields, creating more than 30,000 jobs since work began. The demand for new infrastructure and logistic projects increased, nationally and globally, to adapt to this new era. Since the new locks will double the capacity compared to the current ones, the income of the Panama Canal Authority will significantly increase. The expansion should be completed during 2016. n