The correct answer to this open question is the following.
American workers were better paid and housed than Panamanian and Caribbean workers because they were considered more prepared and skilled than Central American workers. Indeed, they were considered premium or golden employees. Yes, this was due to racial prejudices that were very present during the construction of the Canal of Panama. Racism played a role in the construction of the Panama canal. There were American interests and contractors involved in the project, and they preferred American people to lead the project. Central American workers were considered to have lower skills and abilities compared to Americans.