I read with great interest the recent article from economist M. Ray Perryman in the Rio Grande Guardian International News Service titled "Mexican Trade." I have always found his articles very insightful and full of useful information.
I agree with him on the importance of Mexico as an economic partner of Texas. As a migrant working the peach and apricot fields in Fresno, California I got to interact with many undocumented migrants from Mexico. They were the nicest, respectful and hardworking individuals who just wanted to work and send money home to their families. Their goal was to amass one thousand dollars in order to open a small “5 and 10 cents” corner store. They would set for life. They had no interest in staying in the USA.
They would ask me to take them to a local drive-in movie that would show Mexican movies. We would pile into my dad’s station wagon since it was “$5 a carload” night. Once there they would disappear only to have them come back one by one bringing me a coke and hot dog or a hamburger or popcorn or candy. I had to tell them to stop bringing me stuff. I would not be able to eat it all.
At the end of the movie, all of them came marching to the car within ten minutes of the end of the movie. Each of them had a piece of paper with the name and phone number of a friend they had made that night. On the way home, they insisted that I stop at a gas station so they could put gas in the car.
They wanted to go to a Chinese restaurant to experience their cuisine. I took them as their interpreter and enjoy a great meal that they paid for, rejecting my offer to help pay the tab.
Working alongside with them was very competitive and entertaining. They would strip a tree of fruit within minutes, singing Mexican songs as they worked. When one finished singing, another one at the other end of the field would begin singing another song. I had started a small business of selling ice cold soda during the lunch hour. I would buy a couple of cases of off brand sodas for ten cents each and sold them for fifty cents each.
I would offer some of the workers a free soda, but they would refuse. They insisted on paying. I have no problem fast tracking Mexican citizens to become US citizens and some form of work permit program for those wanting to work. Every business here in the Rio Grande Valley could use more employees.
I have visions of a new country created by the succession of Texas from the US and joining with Mexico to become a new nation. We would benefit from the best of both countries and we would continue to be one of the top ten highest economic nations in the world.
Short of that, working with Mexico, we could create free trade zones on both sides that would extend 50 miles from the border on both sides. Labor and trade would be able to move freely in those zones without immigration concerns.
Manufacturing in the Valley would increase keeping the dollar here instead of using it to purchase Chinese-made products. I read somewhere (probably from Mr. Perryman) that for every dollar we spend on Chinese products, ten cents return to the US. Money spent on products made in Mexico produces a return of over 70 cents.
Editor’s Note: The above guest column was penned by Anthony Covacevich, a former city manager of Weslaco, Texas, who has worked in public administration for over 35 years in the Rio Grande Valley of Texas. Covacevich is presently a registered accessibility specialists licensed by the State of Texas to perform plan reviews and inspections of newly constructed and renovated buildings. The above column appears in The Rio Grande Guardian with the permission of the author. Covacevich, who resides in Weslaco, can be reached by email via: covacevich@aol.com.
