"Highlights the role of West Indies in building the Panama Railroad and Canal to link the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. Shows that the migration to Panama had more far-reaching demographic and economic consequences on the British West Indies than is generally contributed to the still popular conception of extra-regional migration as one of the best avenues to economic nd social betterment. Also examines the social position of th Panamanians of West Indian descent and concludes that their assimilation was still not complete even up to the end of the 20th century."--P. [4] of cover.