Conflicting views on employment stats

Panama’s Minister of Economy and Finance has looked though one end of the telescope to defend President Ricardo Martinelli’s full employment claims,  while a union leader has looked through the other.

Martinelli said earlier in the week that there is no unemployment in Panama.

Union leader Mariano Mena says that there is clearly unemployment and  the statements by the president show he is out of touch with problems in the country.

 Minister AlbertoVallarino said that projects like  the expansion of the Panama Canal, introduced by the previous government, are generating employment opportunities.

La Prensa quotes Vallarino as saying: "Today, the challenge is the faster training of our people to take advantage of opportunities," he said. "Employers have major problems finding staff to fill positions."
 Government figures  for August 2010, the most recent data available, show that total unemployment in Panama is 6.5 percent, and that open unemployment is 4.7 percent. Open unemployment counts only jobless persons actively seeking employment.

Employers, particularly in the services industry point to shortage of skilled and English speaking staff, and the operators of the new Metro bus service have been unable to recruit enough drivers to fully staff all the buses coming on line