Leading cross-border trade group protested key border infrastructure office’s closing this summer
PHOENIX – The Border Trade Alliance (BTA) today applauded a decision by the General Services Administration to reinstate the land border ports of entry office it shuttered earlier this summer.
The division’s closing came on the heels of the routing of millions of dollars in stimulus funds to improvements at small, low-traffic land border ports of entry earlier this year, while more pressing needs at high volume ports went unmet.
“After what has been in many ways a disappointing year for border communities seeking upgrades to their outdated and overburdened port facilities, this comes as very welcome news,” BTA Chair Kathy Neal said. “The BTA was very vocal in its opposition to the way financial resources were being directed to border infrastructure needs, so we’re pleased that it looks like Washington is listening.”
New Mexico Sen. Jeff Bingaman was key in urging GSA to reconsider its earlier organizational decision, and many other elected officials throughout the border region also voiced their displeasure with GSA’s move earlier this year.
“Sen. Bingaman deserves the thanks of all border communities for his commitment to seeing that our nation’s busiest land border ports of entry get the resources they need,” Neal said. “Our government must recognize that our ports of entry should foster the efficient movement of legitimate trade and travel in addition to meeting our nation’s security needs, and should do so in as fiscally responsible a way as possible.”
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The Border Trade Alliance (BTA) applauded a December 8, 2009 decision by the General Services Administration to reinstate a land border ports-of-entry office that agency shortsightedly shuttered earlier in the summer.
But what does the BTA say about the shuttered border rail port-of-entry (POEs) such as Naco, Arizona / Naco, Sonora, Mexico and Douglas, Arizona / Agua Prieta, Sonora, Mexico which remain closed with border fences across their tracks to nowhere?
Our elected officials in Washington, D.C. tell us these two border crossings remain closed ostensibly to stem the tides of illegal immigration and illicit drug smugling.
When will the issues be dealt with to allow the re-opening of the border rail crossings of Naco and Douglas, Arizona?
When will Senators John McCain and Jon Kyl of Arizona promote the political and financial solutions needed to obtain Obama Administration “pork barrel” stimuls package funding to rebuild these important, but decaying border infrastructures?
I say let’s proceed vigorously with buildng new ports-of-entry — as well as rebuilding those now decaying and shuttered due to neglect and lack of courage by our elected officials.
Perhaps the voters need to make some changes in Washington. 2012 is right around the bend!
Glenn Edward Roy, Principal
c/o Ferrocret (a Mexican concrete railroad tie manufacturer based in Sonora)
e-mail: ferrocret@live.com
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