On last Monday my wife got a call asking her to substitute teach. Then it hit me school is back in session.
When I checked my Web site in preparation for this column I noted, as you would expect, that taxes, education and taxes and education were the issues most read. Though not very surprising it is heartening to see that those issues are read and re-read more than twice as often as any other. Most folks are truly interested in seeing their children have more opportunities for education and the benefits that can result.
I submit that striving for better education is the one thing that we all can agree on; the problems begin however, with differing views in how the education is accomplished.
On one side, we are told that there is a crisis in education and only more tax money and the government will solve it. On another we need alternatives to the present system so as to provide a choice and competition to the system in order to encourage accountability. Some blame the teachers for holding low expectations of certain groups of students, having a lack of ability to motivate students or worse; and others blame the parents for lack of interest and support in the educational process. I have often blamed the school administration for not adequately maintaining a good learning atmosphere. There may be some truth in all of these things but that is not the whole problem.
I also do not agree that a shortage of money is a major shortcoming in the educational system and in fact the large sums involved may be something that precipitates some of the problems.
More over, I find it difficult to accept that there is really a crisis in education, some young folks are doing better in some subjects than others, and some excel in math and science; others in languages and the arts, still others in vocational trades. Not everyone has the particular talents to excel in all areas.
That is what I see in our school system!
From observing the education of my own young people and their acquaintances, I can conclude that the information is being made available to the students and that students are being motivated to excellence both in the public facilities and the parochial ones. We only need look at the scholarships awarded and the successes reported in the paper to see the results. As to the results of private vs. public schools, I know personally of several instances where one member from the same family went to public schools and the another went to a private school and the one that went to BISD went on to college and success while the other went briefly to college if at all, but individually developed a specific talent and also went on to success.
What changed since the 1960’s when I graduated high school?
I think the culture changed, especially the perspective in how we look at our selves, and others.
In the last forty-plus years there has been a loss of accountability for our life’s choices. We have become a world of victims rather than individuals that are responsible for the results of the choices we make. In many instances when someone at any age is corrected for poor performance or unacceptable behavior by an authority figure, the first attempt is to attack the messenger! The person in authority is corrupt, performs worse etc are the claims. Often there is no attempt to accept that there is a problem and try to fix it, only that the accusation however true is unfairly made or the accuser is worse. To see a multitude of evidence of this, just look at the news any day or the general trend of our political campaigns. Can we expect more of our youth!
A large consideration is what we expect our teachers to do. What really is their job?
I can not accept that a teacher must guarantee to force a certain amount of information into a young person’s brain. It seems to me that the responsibility is to make the information available to the children and provide an adequate opportunity for them to develop the skills needed to use that information productively.
The measure of success should be the accomplishment of the student supported by the guidance and motivation of the school and the teachers. Education cannot be forced on a student there must be cooperation. There is no real motivation that requires a young person to learn unless it begins at home and by the public authority. In many cases there is no such motivation when the government guarantees everyone who applies a comfortable life with no more effort than submitting a form. Worse in many neighborhoods the most colorful and wealthy example to our kids may well be criminals.
Somehow, we still produce well educated young people who become successful. Quite often though, many of these young successes get their education as young adults, after having begun their jobs. That’s when they encounter motivation first hand. Still, I did not go on to university right away.
After I began a career in government service, I saw people; I believed to be less competent, promoted past me because of a diploma that I did not have.
I became motivated to go to college and take the course of study that fit my career. The result was much better as I knew what would help the most.
In community schools today there is little expectation of a consequence for bad behavior. The system tries to “understand” the circumstances, not just accept that a bad choice was made and that corrective action is needed.
In the earlier generations, while making a choice at school, students had to consider the results, would I pass the course, would I stay after school and not go to extracurricular activity or worse “Would my mom and dad find out?” I was never hit as a child by my parents but knew beyond the shadow of a doubt that if I made a bad enough choice “some negative motivation” would indeed take place.
That expectation of accountability seems to be lost today. I have personally heard of teachers being threatened, cursed and worse without any action being taken by the principal and when it is, it often is reversed at the administrative levels.
Some students are frequently tardy with no action even attempted, when in class are disruptive or refuse to participate with no result. It has even been a policy that when a student chooses to do no work a grade of 50 will be assigned so there will be no bad feelings.
Still when a student does not do well we blame perhaps the one who shares the least blame, the teacher.
Lastly we muse, do the elected officials that administer the education of our children have a reputation for honest, straightforward, and judicious leadership? Are they the kind of folks you want your children to emulate? If you were to examine the accounts in the public and the alternative media, I suggest that you would have serious concerns. It seems that self-interest rules.
It is crucial that we elect representatives that really have an interest in education rather than the largess that falls off the table.
The Libertarian Party has a policy of helping folks new to politics prepare to run for nonpartisan elections like school boards. You do not need to be a politician just a U.S. citizen with a desire for something better for our community. We have professional advisors that can help you get going. Send me an e-mail to find out what is involved and get started.
may Is accountability
While accountability will not solve all the educational problems, it would be a nice start.
At the basis of it all are those certain unalienable Rights endowed on us by the Creator, that among these are Life, Liberty (freedom), and the pursuit of Happiness.
There is no guarantee of happiness only the opportunity to pursue it and to do that one must have an education.
I had my first personal experience with the Veterans Administration recently. I went to the VA Medical Clinic in Harlingen for an exam and evaluation for certain benefits. The experience was quite pleasant from beginning to end. The nurses that took my blood for testing as well as another that got the basic information and vitals were on time, pleasant, professional and definitely an excellent introduction to a government entity that I had heard less than stellar things about previously.
After a very sort wait Doctor Gogia called me for the exam and to finish the evaluation. He completed his explanation of the health issues and the benefits that were available. I found the process as thorough and professional as any previous experience. I have not always been kind to the VA in my column but in these fine professionals the VA can be proud.

Some of readers will remember Superman on television in the late 1950’s and the motto at the beginning “Truth – Honor and “The American Way”. These became the seeds of the “Boomer” belief system though they were not always followed faithfully. They were certainly the ideals that we strived for.
A widely touted part of “Today’s American Way” is the “rule of law” which is often pointed to as of supreme importance. Unfortunately, it is found important only when it is convenient.
As one example just look at the immigration debacle! Decades of political interference in existing law and regulation, as well as the ways laws were applied, has resulted in a supremely unworkable system that threatens the one most important job of government – that of ensuring peace and order. We have neither today.
What do our Democratic-Republican rulers do about it? They find ways to enrich their friends with unworkable solutions such as a wall to nowhere on one side, more public programs to support an even bigger government in chosen congressional districts on the other side.
One side say these migrants are taking jobs from Americans. However, we have 10 million or so “temporary workers and families” without any papers, and it has been reported that all but 5% or so, have found jobs, relocated from their place of origin to a place near the job and are pursuing happiness. They did all that without government interference. Could it be that these folks are demonstrating “The American Way” better than us natives? Additionally as they integrate into the communities more jobs emerge to support their particular needs. Grocery stores that cater to the particular tastes sprout up and as residents of other origins develop preferences for the variety of products, a whole system of shipping and marketing develops and these formerly “strange” items become part of the norm in Walmart and HEB. One can find the many varieties available everywhere even in “yankee land” where I grew up.
Our rulers seem to have little interest in doing what is best for the folks like establishing an efficient immigration system that can process a legal application in weeks rather that ten or twelve years as is now the case. Instead, fearing that some faction or other might be inconvenienced or a particular constituency may not secure a big enough piece of the government pie, nothing is done and the rule of law develops another hole.
This approach to peace and order by “Rule of Law when convenient” pervades all levels of government including our counties and cities. In fact the approach is actually learned in local politics and then refined as the office holder becomes corrupted by more and more power.
Perhaps it is most obvious in the Cameron County political machine. As far back as 2006, Mr. Dan Cavazos, the publisher of The Brownsville Herald brought focus on the culture of Cameron County politics and its state wide reputation in an editorial on Page One of the Viewpoints section.
He cited an article in Texas Monthly by Cecilia Balli, a local lady with world quality talent, which described the realities of the political machine that bends rules and laws, passes out favors and largess to supporters and friends, and routinely pressures political workers and voters to tolerate criminal and ethical infractions so that the”in crowd” keeps on doing what they do. Law by Convenience!
This is the “American Way” we are teaching our neighbors, those that we encourage to be like us as well as the next generation now following us into public responsibility.
On the national level we are seeing a public, as demonstrated by the growth of the “Tea Parties”, that is discouraged with the disregard the rulers have for their views. Perhaps it can be remembered that a number of laws have passed Congress that were uniformly opposed by a majority of the public. I filly expect that we will see a genuine revolution at the polls. Locally we actually have a choice this year in the Congressional race. On one side we have Republican Farenthold and Democrat Ortiz splitting the free spending big government vote and Libertarian Ed Mishou advocating a smaller government and the freedom of the individual.
We have a School Board that can not maintain a stable management team, and routinely interferes with employment and other policies that are properly the responsibility of the professional managers. Instead of a focus on overall educational policy, much of the work of the board seems to be to find ways to spend money that benefits themselves, or their friends. We need to encourage heros like former Board member Eleceo Munoz.
I remember watching several board meetings on TV and took note the insightful inquiries advanced by Mr. Eleceo Munoz. One inquiry I took particular note to was relating to a comparison of work done relating to a parking lot versus the amount of work paid for, another was relating to the need for a replacement roof that was only recently done earlier – I still have yet to hear satisfactory answers and no longer see such analysis in the current board..
Probably one of the more curious issues is after many years the continued failure of BISD to publicly address any of the problems identified in the Strayhorn audit and report. It leads me to believe that a policy of inefficiency is being promoted to facilitate questionable practices. The panel of individuals charged with the analysis and review has just faded off into oblivion. Now all we hear is lawyers and lawsuits and more money down the drain.
Past practices at the Navigation District have also exhibited a board concerned with the spending of public funds and interfering in personnel practices in such a way that could be construed as benefiting friends and supporters.
Most recently has been a move to do commission yet another study to attract a Passenger Cruise Ship at a time where high value recreation has slowed because of the economy and that other examinations have repeatedly suggested the lack of a market. Could it be that it would provide more opportunity for the in crowd to benefit from Port financial largess. Perhaps my recent three columns of proven information might be remembered though it might be too late as others may already be working towards that end.

The advancement of the modestly priced transportation choices between North America, Central America and South America that I have described will do more to improve the Western Hemisphere cohesion and stability than any other single thing that could be done.
Just for a moment, picture yourself with a small 3 ship ferry operation at the point in history when relations normalize with Cuba. –serious profits and expansion- Also envision the evolution of a cohesive Hemispheric logistics system with central distribution points in Cuba and ferries of different sizes and purposes steaming off like a compass star. It would permit immediate transportation systems to develop using current and older equipment, trailers, rail cars etc. It would also require that countries get along better to work out equipment interchanges, uniform vehicle licensing, safety requirements, etc. What I have been discussing could conceivably be the basis of stability in our part of the world.
As President Regan said, “There he goes again”. As much as I try to distance myself and retire, the passion still exists.
I have tried to start with a concept so obvious that the uninitiated can see the potential. It seems that compared to Mediterranean Europe, there are fewer, in the U.S. regular conventional business financial world that understand the commercial risks and how to allay them. The result has been that it is very difficult to find startup financing for even a single ship operation in conventional places.
The maritime practices of Flag of convenience, a separate corporation for ownership of each vessel to be leased to an operator and a third to manage the vessel operations can easily confuse many investors.
We need a facility to put this all in perspective and demonstrate what the Europeans have been depending on for years, only here we have developing economies all around a central pond and we are just starting the integration Europe is completing.
The purpose of these writings is to suggest a beginning that will demonstrate the “what could be” to potential customers, with the least initial expenditure that will result in a clamor for the additional services. This will make it easier to work out port facilities, priority of docking, and how the authorities deal with the service. We even have some difficult situations in our laws and practices.
Several of the issues were first identified in our first introduction of the concept in my paper entitled A Ferry Service Between Texas and Honduras, presented to, The Society Of Naval Architects And Marine Engineers, at the 1997 “Transportation Operations, Management and Economics Symposium” from May 14-15, 1997.
“The government of Honduras initially classified the vessel as a freight carrier, as they had no classification for a ferry. This resulted in the requirement to pay higher port charges than would be required had the classification been as a passenger type vessel. After about four weeks the government operated port authorities identified the service as a tourist passenger vessel and reduced the charges accordingly.
The U.S. Federal Maritime Commission was petitioned for an exemption from rate filing due to our operation as a ferry; carrying passengers and their personal conveyances and commercial conveyances, not “cargo”.
Subsequently relief was achieved when the FMC determined that any accompanied conveyance would not be considered cargo and would not need a rate filing.
The United States still has yet to recognize this kind of operation in the Gulf of Mexico as a ferry, even though special laws were written to define ferry operations exclusively as they exist between the U.S. and Canada in the States of Washington and Maine.
Homeland Security still views the ferry as a cargo carrier and because of the commercial interest in the ferry as solution to many low cost transportation problems, issued a document entitled “Guidelines fo Ferry Operations”.
Of particular interest is how Homeland Security deals with “Ferry” vessels.
Taken from Customs law and regulation:
(1) The term “ferry” means any vessel which is being used—
(A) to provide transportation only between places that are no more than 300 miles apart, and
(B) to transport only—
(i) passengers, or
(ii) vehicles, or railroad cars, which are being used, or have been used, in transporting passengers or goods.
Exceptions
(A) Except as provided in subsection (a)(5)(B) of this section, no fee may be charged under subsection (a) of this section for customs services provided in connection with—
(i) the arrival of any passenger whose journey— (I) originated in—
(aa) Canada, (bb) Mexico, (cc) a territory or possession of the United States, or (dd) any adjacent island (within the meaning of section 1101 (b)(5) of title 8), or
(II) originated in the United States and was limited to—
(aa) Canada, (bb) Mexico, (cc) territories and possessions of the United States, and ..(dd) such adjacent islands;
(ii) the arrival of any railroad car the journey of which originates and terminates in the same country, but only if no passengers board or disembark from the train and no cargo is loaded or unloaded from such car while the car is within any country other than the country in which such car originates and terminates;
(iii) the arrival of a ferry, except for a ferry whose operations begin on or after August 1, 1999, and that operates south of 27 degrees latitude and east of 89 degrees longitude; or
It would definitely appear that a special legal definition was granted by Congress to “Ferry Operations” between the U.S. and Canada from the states of Washington and Maine at the expense of Texas and other southern States especially as to receive benefits the arrival must comply with the certain map coordinates above.
The change in the definition of a “ferry “ to “to provide transportation only between places that are no more than 1200 miles apart, and” would provide for a more equitable definition and encourage closer trade relationships that can only improve national relationships as well.
I feel that it is clear that the use of the concept of the “Ferry vessel” to develop the Pan American Maritime Highway could be an so important in returning the economies to cycles of growth and enhanced national security for the entire hemisphere that we have allocated three columns to it.
I look forward to seeing a comfortable “Ferry” trip to Central America in the near future.

In the last column I described the rationale for and the beginning of a car passenger ferry between South Texas and Central America as well as the concept described as the Pan American Maritime Highway.
The reasons that supported the project ten years ago are still valid today and the demand has more than doubled as indicated by the large increases in vehicle exports registered at the U.S. Customs Port at Los Indios, Texas.
Further, In 2006, The IDB “Pan America Maritime Highway Feasibility Study” commented: “We conclude that a US–Honduras service based on a conventional ferry and geared toward the Transmigrantes hold promise. The US–Honduras service based on a conventional ferry could be expanded to include a Mexican call, once demand from US adventurers, campers, and residents develops.”
The current narco-violence in Mexico seems to be centered right along the path that the “Transmigrante Caravans” must take, and makes an alternative critical to the safety of these enterprising folks that demonstrate the best ideals of their new country of residence. Further, establishing this new access to new trading partners could be the answer to our weakened economy.
Additionally, the presence of the Maritime Highway will provide new markets for producers in the U.S. as well as the America south of us.
It could also lead to a new distribution pattern that would draw the Western Hemisphere closer and improve the economy for everyone.
In selecting ports to serve there are a variety of indicators that would be more advantageous than others.
I found what I considered the ideal set of circumstances for a start-up at Port Isabel, Texas because it was near the concentration of those that needed the services, because of the new requirements established by the government of Mexico.
Now that the “Transmigrantes” are more sophisticated, I believe that other ports could establish themselves as “Bridges” on the “Pan-American Maritime Highway.
Federal statistics shows that more than 100,000 ‘transmigrante’ vehicles crossed into Mexico enroute to Central America. Surveys have shown that they come from all over the U.S. using Interstate 10 coming from the east and west and US 59 south from Mid-Ameica; then approaching the border using US 83 and US 77.
For years these modern day wagon trains, have been familiar travelers to most of us.
An ideal port to service these folks would be a smaller one, where many in the community speak Spanish and the community supports the presence of ferry and the travelers. There should be a number of places with adequate space and facilities where the travelers can park their vehicles to accomplish the various government requirements and prepare for loading onto the vessel.
There should also be a variety of sellers of last minute purchases to take on the two day trip and provide that forgotten gift for a relative. There should also be food vendors to supply the travelers while waiting.
The port should also be relatively close to the open sea to reduce fuel costs and enable ship services to open and serve the passengers at the earliest moment. The closeness to the sea is also important to reduce the impact of fog which can become a problem at different times of the year and possibly delay the departure or arrival by a day or more if not planned for.
As an illustration of how a modest port could be developed, we could look at Port of El Mesquital within the city limits of Matamoros, Mexico.
After a situation of stable peace and order has returned to Mexico, a modest facility could be developed with relatively reasonable expense.
Because Matamoros is right on the border where the Transmigrantes begin a port there could be an economic boon.
The first step would be to complete the improvement to the jettys that was begun several years ago and re-dredge the bay area to accommodate an appropriate vessel, to a depth of twenty-five feet.
The dock itself could be as simple as an “L” shaped pier with an angled ramp to provide space to unload the vehicles. A passenger access ramp is needed along the long side of the pier to complete the minimal needs.
The existing concrete pier could be easily modified to add a hydraulic ramp that would provide flexibility needed to dock a variety of smaller vessels and sea going barges as well as oil rig service boats to support the new oil fields just off shore.
With just a modest investment the port would supply the foundation for economic flexibility in the region that could be the beginning of a future and an economy that would be a model for the other developing countries around the Caribbean.
Perhaps our friends at the Inter-American Development Bank could provide appropriate guidance in the future to support a more stable and independent economy that would assist the recovery after the drug wars.
In Texas several ports similar to Port Isabel exist such as Freeport, Port Aransas, and the former naval installation at Ingleside, TX, within the Port of Corpus Christie. Corpus Christie also has other facilities including one that hosted the “MV Regal Voyager” down town.
Most importantly, the needed flexible, multi-use facilities can be developed without an enormous expense
Crucial to the basic needs the above port facilities are easily accessed from the normal traffic routes.
Once a determination is made, adequate port facilities will be required but when considered in comparison with other commercial shipping is modest in cost and support a variety of other shipping.
A terminal facility is currently required by U.S. federal authorities to process travelers and cargos as well as tending to the needs of the travelers.
Additional staging areas for the embarking travellers will be needed that provide markers that match the vessel’s storage decks, to prepare for loading and provide for the inspections required by the various authorities.
When Isabel Cortes began, the pier comprised of a bulldozed ramp adjoining an existing pier and a tent terminal facility. The main office was housed in a nearby strip mall. While modest it served the purpose adequately.
Many small ports already have facilities that will serve the purpose with but a few modifications.
Once established the facility will also draw more and different uses, not even conceived as yet.
In order for this kind of transport to fulfill its need, it must be inexpensive so that most “real folks” can afford it. That also means that communities in the destinations should be able to afford it as well.
I envision a time and economies, similar to those in the U.S. in the 1940’s and 1950’s, that were supported by the regional bus lines. For years the modest cost encouraged trade and transport in the smaller communities with affordable transport for local products and supplies as well as a way to go home to mom and dad.
If we think of the Pan-American Maritime Highway supported by vessels that can carry the transport vehicles of today and bring Central and South America closer to North America and that will enable commerce to expand everywhere in this hemisphere.
Just imagine a “Walmart” type distribution system with a center in Cuba! Products would be able to move, at modest cost, back and forth easily enhancing the entire western hemisphere. The Pan-American Maritime Highway would be the rope pulling everything together spreading the seeds of growth that will provide an economy that will provide opportunities for the best and brightest at home. .
Currently, the trucking industry is the blood in America’s veins, using the ‘Maritime Highway’, they could add new customers any where in the hemisphere by just driving onto one ferry or another and get off in Central or South America or one of the island nations at a modest price.
Needless to say there are bumps in the road including some federal requirements that could be applied differently or changed to facilitate the Maritime Highway. That is in the last installment.

The vision for a car-passenger ferry service between the southern United States and Central America began in Brownsville, Texas in 1994 while I was assigned as a Supervisory Customs Officer at the new Free Trade Bridge in Los Indios, Texas.
I observed that during just a few months the number of expatriate Central Americans crossing into Mexico en-route to their homes in Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua, etc. grew exponentially.
I also, found that the government of Mexico, in an effort to limit foreign vehicles being sold illegally in Mexico had designated the new bridge as a primary crossing point for those in transit.
The Central Americans, ”Transmigrantes”, made arrangements for vehicle entry permits, posted security bonds and a place in an officially accompanied caravan through agents located on the U.S. side.
After interviewing a number of these “Transmigrantes” I found that the trip, of more than five days, was difficult and hazardous, as well as costly in unexpected official fees and repairs.
There were 21,153 Transmigrantes exporting vehicles during 1993, which more than doubled to 50,409 by 1994, when I retired.
The numbers doubled again to 107,066 by 2008, and then started receding in 2009 when the extraordinary violence in Mexico began to be felt.
The original planning was done with two friends then employed by the prestigious marine engineering firm, M. Rosenblatt and Son, Inc, who worked with me to develop a business plan that made financial projections as accurate as possible; as related to costs and benefits. A plan, I might add, that was very well received when presented at an annual meeting of the American Society of Marine Engineers, who subsequently published our “May Paper” in their journal.
In addition to family visits, these “Transmigrantes”, have also been engaged in the transport of vehicles and consumer products back to Central America. On average, there were more than 1,200 vehicles weekly transiting the Southwest border at the border port of Los Indios, destined for Central America. Now there are between 2200 and 4000 weekly.
The overland journey through Mexico and Guatemala takes from five to seven days, and is arduous due to bad roads and interference by local officials, as well as most recently by narco-traffickers. Mexico also has severe restrictions on certain classes of merchandise permitted to accompany these “transmigrates”, as well.
In answer to the above need, Isabel Cortes Ferry Service Limited was formed. The Car Passenger Ferry, Regal Voyager arrived in Port Isabel, Texas on December 29, 1996 and completed U.S. Coast Guard requirements by January 10,1997. The vessel departed on its first voyage January 14,1997. The vessel had facilities for 277 passenger in cabins with private facilities and 106 passengers in cabins without private facilities, It also had space for 60 commercial cars or 360 regular sized vehicles as well as refrigerator connections. We found this to be a suitable size for a weekly service. The Regal Voyager was also able to complete the round trip between South Texas and Honduras in six days which allowed for one day of maintenance.
The Isabel Cortes Ferry Service was operated for one year.
Recurring engine problems with the vessel and that a lack of a timely replacement qualified to serve U.S. ports, resulted in the termination of service. The “Transmigrantes” and others who saw the benefits in the new Trade route, still, more than ten years later, inquire about a return of the service.
My first instinct in the planning was to focus on whatever market would provide for all costs of operation with just revenues from the trip south to Central America from the United States. (That’s where the money was most evident) For the most part, this began with conveyances (buses, cars, personal type trucks) stuffed with all manner of user goods, and accompanied by passengers. In a short period this also expanded to construction equipment and buses for resale, sometimes accompanied and sometimes not.
As time went on there became a seasonal factor. During some of the winter weeks the major part of the revenue was from tourists and seasoned citizens (over 50). Perhaps a return to the migration of “snow birds” of earlier years!
For the above reasons, I would characterize the most appropriate model as that of a conventional airline. Seasonal market forces, including passenger issues such as food service and personal comfort that change the focus of the revenue stream are best addressed by such a model.
In June of 2001, I became aware that Captain Gabriel Cserei, a mariner with long experience, then an inspector of vessels for “Country certification”, had formed a venture called Maya King Superferries (MKS) to provide Car-Passenger vessel service between U.S. Gulf Ports and the Caribbean and Central America.
The name Pan-American Maritime Highway was first noted in February 2003 as a result of meetings arranged by Captain Cserei that included a number of Houston maritime leaders and a large marine systems corporation.
In preparation for further meetings with I.A.B., The InterAmerican Development Bank, Maya King Superferries (MKS) prepared a design that had been in the planning stages for a number of years. It was planned to represent a transportation alternative, capable of handling passengers, road traffic and small, unitized cargo within the emerging global trade area of the Caribbean and Central America (including Mexico). It called for regular sailings around the year, from ports in the Southern USA into ports of the Yucatan Peninsula and Central America, which would allow hundreds of thousands of passengers to visit and carry small parcels along with their automobiles, RV’s, etc.
The new maritime trade routes would be established between ports in Central America and along the old Pan-American Highway, which would bring immediate improvement to the existing land and ocean transportation systems servicing the Americas.
The Pan-American Maritime Highway then became, Technical Cooperation project RS-T1178 for the Inter-American Development Bank(IDB) in June 22, 2005 and began studies, some of which were conducted in the Brownsville area in 2006. The evaluation was completed March 20, 2009 and reported on May 31, 2010.
See http://www.iadb.org/projects/project.cfm?id=RS-T1178&lang=en
The “IDB” supports efforts by Latin America and the Caribbean countries to reduce poverty and inequality. They aim to bring about development in a sustainable, climate-friendly way.
They were established in 1959, and are the largest source of development financing for Latin America and the Caribbean, with a strong commitment to achieve measurable results, increased integrity, transparency and accountability. “IDB” has an evolving reform agenda that seeks to increase our development impact in the region.
While they are a regular bank in many ways, they are also unique in some key respects. Besides loans, they also provide grants, technical assistance and do research.
Their shareholders are 48 member countries, including 26 Latin American and Caribbean borrowing members, who have a majority ownership of the “IDB”.
The fact that this prominent entity examined the possibilities serves to amplify the importance to the region of this concept.
From what information I was able to glean from excerpts of the study and general conversation with some of the study participants, a number of valuable insights have convinced me even more that:
The Pan-American Maritime Highway, is a concept whose time is overdue.
Many thanks to Marco Camacho López at IDB for helping to keep me honest in regard to their policies.
In the next column I will discuss the building of a Car-Passenger Ferry operation to satisfy many needs and to help expand the affected economies.

I am frequently confused at how the players in our political society want to define us and our wants and needs in terms of what we look like or how we think.
We describe ourselves a certain way only to find that we have many similarities and when others do it, it becomes racism. Some even have the idea that if one gets an education, is creative and works hard he can succeed, it is a bad thing.
It even seems that the current goal of government is that everyone is the same; no one is different and should not be treated differently. Still we like to think of ourselves as individuals, Irish American, African American, Filipino American, Mexican American, Hispanic American, etc. I think of myself as an American and then as having Irish descent. However the brand of Celts I came from originated from Portugal and North West Spain. Does that make me of Hispanic origin. How about the Mexicans near Monterrey of Italian descent, what kind of hyphen do we use?
The law recently passed I Arizona, in frustration that the Federal government seems to have failed miserably in protecting the borders there. It is sad aspecially when it is a genuine Constitutional responsibility that should take priority over other functions where there are genuine arguments.
Though, when a larger number of folks that has similar characteristics have been identified as violators of one misdeed or another; it is racism to reduce the potential pool of violators with a focus on those criteria.
In the West Portal area of San Francisco those looking for undocumented aliens would look for light completions and an Irish brogue among construction workers. The faces in that area are very familiar. There are Irish pubs in that area however, where a new face will stop conversation.
In South Arizona and South Texas it also seems the predominant visual characteristics of most of the people you see are also shared with the majority of those identified as undocumented aliens. Further, the most high value among the immigration violators are of asian or middle-eastern descent.
I just saw the 2008 TV movie Frozen River concerning smuggling illegals from Canada at the St. Regis Mohawk Indian Reservation only a few miles from where I grew up. Further I noted that in several recent issues of my home town paper “Malone Evening Telegram” there were no less than 3 stories daily about drug smuggling. In that area Native Americans are the most probable smugglers and they use the Reservation as it stretches across the St. Lawrence River with no legal crossing areas. During the winter they just drive across the ice covered river.
If a State Trooper sees a Native American with two Asians in the car would it be racist to stop the vehicle and investigate?.
I find it difficult to build up a prejudice based on what someone looks like or some other person says.
Still the passions are aroused, and Immigration and its policies are sharply dividing the Country based on what our neighbors say will happen and specific interest groups say it means.
At the real foundation of the mess is Mexico, a country that has apparently been so mismanaged that most of its people do not trust the government. This has resulted in lawlessness and violence that grips the entire country and leads the populace to look “north” for the only future.
This has resulted in a massive migration legal and otherwise primarily across our southern border more than half of which has been across the Arizona border.
How the administration deals with the issue of fixing immigration is so important that it trumps all others and has such far reaching impact on everything from our basic concept of the rule of law and Social Security. Immigration is indeed broke and needs fixing; and has the potential to damage the nation as no other issue.
Keeping people out is not the answer!
FactCheck.com, my “go to” for the real story, says that most economists state that immigration, legal or illegal, doesn’t hurt American workers. Migrants do not take American jobs. Though it is a common refrain among those who want to tighten limits on legal immigration and deny a “path to citizenship”. Study after study has shown that immigrants grow the economy, by expanding demand for goods and services that the foreign-born workers and their families consume, and thereby creating jobs. There is even broad agreement among economists that while immigrants may push down wages for some, the overall effect is to increase average wages for American-born workers.
As it stands now the laws are so unrealistic and confused that the purpose is even obscure. The laws are not being enforced as they should be and when they are, the public doesn’t support them. This is resulting in the belief that we only need to obey laws that we agree with. We are rapidly losing respect for the rule of law and this could lead to even worse things. The current Immigration law is a jumble of special interest legislation aggravated by judicial activism that has been compounded for decades.
While a Customs Officer at a number of places in the U.S., I repeatedly heard from my colleagues in Immigration that frequently when officers took alleged violators / offenders before a magistrate new interpretations of the law left their understandings in confusion or a new law or administrative practice made the difficult nearly impossible. This was all made worse by a perennial lack of staff to do the job. Add to that political risks that motivate all but the brave or foolish to avoid dealing with the issue and you have an agency whose duties were nearly as unpopular as those of the IRS.”
There indeed is a serious need for an overall reform and that will allow the new border management agency do its job effectively.
Critical to this is a clear and easily understood set of requirements that must be followed by aspiring visitors and residents, as well as the effective and consistent enforcement of those requirements. The idea that you can secure the border with more troops, that have been advanced in many quarters, in particular by Bill O’Reilly on Fox News, is in my mind a lot of bunk.
The practicality is that you just cannot put enough people arm to arm along the entire border. Our past use of soldiers to do the impossible hasn’t been successful either. Soldiers win wars with decisive action, breaking things and people. That is why there is a “posse comitatus” law. It was reviewed for suspension in 2002 but the thinking prevailed that the training and military approach might lead to inappropriate actions being taken..
Several years ago I suggested a plan, providing that a new immigrant, once employed, could retain a temporary resident status so long as he was employed. No 3 year limit! This is because, many resident aliens, I have known, intend to work for a period of time, save some money, then return home to start a business or retire.
However, as a carrot, after 3 years one should be able to apply for permanent residency and once approved must apply for citizenship within five years or return to temporary residence status.
There should also not be any new bureaucracy to find jobs for temporary workers as that would be very susceptible to corruption.
Past experience has demonstrated clearly that foreign workers and employers find each other quite efficiently, even in stealthy circumstances. In the past several years the number of young people that dropped out of schools or did not proceed to higher education has gotten less and less. Those folks would traditionally have taken the lower paying jobs that the new immigrants are now happy to get, as a start to a new life.
Further, as the sponsoring employer is responsible, no public benefits would be available to temporary residents.
After the expiration of earned unemployment insurance the temporary resident would be required to return home. Children born in the U.S. to temporary residents would not automatically be entitled to U.S. citizenship but could earn it through military service or naturalization.
The important thing is that the existing laws for employers must be vigorously enforced; If there is an availability of legal workers and an effective enforcement of clearly understood requirements is accomplished (severe financial costs and periods of operation stoppages), employers will be motivated to stay legal rather than risk the hassle.
Of substantial importance is that those already in violation of the law must not get a free ride or preference over those seeking opportunities legally and must pay a penalty for the illegal activity.

Paul Revere & the Raiders with The Comets
Moon River Theatre – Branson, Mo
Starting June 4 check schedules for dates and times

http://www.bransontourismcenter.com/shows/info/paul-revere-comets

Paul Revere & the Raiders have been together since 1958. Revere surrounds himself with the finest talent, some of whom have been with him more than 30 years. Paul Revere & the Raiders had 25 consecutive hit singles. Louie Louie, (remember all the controversy!) Steppin Out, Good Thing, Like Long Hair, Great Airplane Strike, Indian Reservation…timeless, unforgettable songs!
Featuring all five of the surviving members of Bill Haley and the Comets, these legendary performers will knock your socks off when they perform such beloved hits as “Rock Around the Clock,” “Shake Rattle & Roll,” and “See Ya Later Alligator,” as well as exciting all new material.

Also in Branson this summer

The Platters

http://www.bransontourismcenter.com/shows/info/platters

Ray Stevens

http://www.bransontourismcenter.com/shows/info/ray-stevens

The Welk Resort Theatre from September 15th thru October 23rd. With over 14 million singles, albums and videos sold in his career, Ray Stevens brings all of his hits to the Welk Resort stage: from the hilarious “Ahab the Arab”, “It’s Me Again Margaret”, “Mississippi Squirrel” and “The Streak” to his new hit “We The People” and the classic “Everything Is Beautiful”.

Righteous Brothers Bill Medley

http://www.bransontourismcenter.com/shows/info/bill-medley

Saturday, September 25th, 2010 at 8:00 PM 3 months away
Fall Doo Wop / Bobby Rydell, Jimmy Beaumont & The Skyliners, Jay Siegel And The Tokens, Earl Lewis & the Channels, Jimmy Gallagher & The Passions, Johnny Farina, Lenny Dell and the Demensions, Chris Montez North Fork Theatre at Westbury
960 Brush Hollow Road, Westbury, NY

Jersey Boys
04/01/2010 thru 12/31/2012
The Palazzo Las Vegas Resort Hotel Casino
JERSEY BOYS, the story of Frankie Valli and The Four Seasons at The Palazzo is the only place on the West Coast to see this runaway hit and has taken Las Vegas by storm. JERSEY BOYS is the story of how a group of blue-collar boys from the wrong side of the tracks became one of the biggest American pop music sensations of all time
The show features such hits as “Sherry,” “Big Girls Don’t Cry,” “Can’t Take My Eyes Off of You,” “Oh, What a Night” and many more.

The Beach Boys
06/19/2010 thru 06/19/2010
Silver Legacy Resort Casino’s Grande Exposition Hall
407 North Virginia Street
Reno, NV
The Beach Boys are widely considered one of the most influential bands in rock and pop music history. They have recorded dozens of Top 40 hits, including four US #1 singles, numerous best-selling albums and are Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductees.

Golden Boys-Frankie Avalon, Fabian & Bobby Rydell
08/07/2010 thru 08/07/2010
Silver Legacy Resort Casino’s Grande Exposition Hall
407 North Virginia Street
Reno, NV

More R and B

Smokey Robinson in Dallas

http://www.ticketliquidator.com/tix/tickets.aspx?evtid=1373509

Lionel Richie

http://www.ticketliquidator.com/tix/lionel-richie-tickets.aspx

Gladys Knight

http://www.ticketliquidator.com/tix/gladys-knight-tickets.aspx

Like most retirees my income has not increased and my cost of living continues to increase especially taxes. More so when I feel the community is being badly mistreated by the taxing authority. We are being taxed by Texas Southmost Community College and it exists only in name. The University has another Campus that unlike any of the others we must pay for.
I recently got my new property tax statement, my home was appraised at a value ten percent higher than last year and the Texas Southmost College tax rate is now $0.161924.
In these difficult times find it problematic to financially support a nonexistent entity and any politician that continues to maintain, what appears to me, to be a fraud on the community. Especially, when you consider that it is where a large percentage of its members cannot afford the university rates currently in force.
Perhaps, a few of you will remember a column I wrote, that appeared in September of 2004. It was conceived in response to a proposed bond issue and a presentation that the University and Texas – Southmost College officials provided at St. Marys Church. I went there with preconceived notions that were dispelled to some extent by Dr. Tony Zavaleta’s discussion and forced me to rethink my position.
I wrote “The event began with imposing presence that transmitted the sense that you are in good hands here and we are going to be straight with you.”
It now seems that they were not straight with us.
University President Garcia, made the case that these were the needs and this is what it will cost; we still need the things that we described in the earlier proposal but we heard your concern over the costs and went back to work. We saw the results of a lot of “hand wringing” in the new refined proposal and a lower estimated tax rate increase of 3.8 cents per hundred dollars of valuation. It was also said that a hard look at the budget resulted in the tax rate being reduced from .1314 to .1280 or about 3/100 of a cent per $100 of evaluation. While it sounds small, it translates into real money when one considers the total value of property being taxed.
It seems they just flimflammed us!
In 2006, I was shocked and surprised at the tax increases that befell me; when the tax collected for Texas Southmost had gone up 50% in two years. The tax rate went up 1/3 from 2004 to 2005 from a rate of $0.128782 per $100 to $0.162772 per $100.00. Then for the 2006 year the rate dropped slightly to $0.161089 per $100, but my home was appraised even higher which still resulted in an additional increase in my tax of about 6%. What ever happened to the promises made of a tax rate of $0.1280.
According to The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board web site, the state wide average cost for a student taking a full load of 15 semester hours is approximately $1,840.
A listing of Public Community Colleges for Texas Southmost College District exists, not Texas Southmost College and University of Texas Brownsville. The related listing specifies that a schedule of 15 semester hours would cost an astronomical $5,498 in tuition and fees, whether the student resides in the district or not. There are a number of regular universities in Texas with tuition and fees between $5000 and $5,500.
It seems that something is wrong with charging University prices at a community college, where the community itself struggles to put food in the mouths of their families.
Our taxes are not paying for our students who need the help but to support those from other communities to attend a university.
My experience with community colleges in other parts of the country, have been that the function was to help community residents, that are less fortunate financially or had some other problem that resulted in less than stellar grades, get college level classes either to prepare them for success at a traditional college or to get a specialized program certificate to advance their careers.
For a peak into the reality, let us consider a friend of mine who is a licensed practical nurse with exceptional skills and talents in wound care.
For some time, he has been working to secure the required credits in order to secure certification as a registered nurse. My friend was not able to meet the very high tuition and fees for the coming term, so he must put off his dream for another year and deprive us in the community, of the opportunity to benefit from what the full development of his talents would bring.
I just can not understand how, we as a community can continue to supplement the educations of folks from other community areas, when our own children must go without the opportunity.
In a previous column, I reported on a visit to “my contribution” in person, but when I asked on campus for the Texas Southmost admission office or any Texas Southmost office, no one could tell me where it was and didn’t realize there was a community college; I did find UTB admissions in Tandy Hall, however.
After considering the situation in depth, I must conclude that for the purpose a community college is supposed to exist, I am sad to report that we in Cameron County do not have one in the South Texas Community College.
We genuinely need a real community college back and not be required to support a university with funds extorted by way of taxes. The university should operate as others do in Texas not out of the community.
I urge that we support like minded representatives in the coming elections that will work towards returning a real community college and requiring the state to support its University.
I also would like to encourage the formation of a working group of concerned folks organize to right this serious wrong

Many of you will remember the January 12,1997 story in the Brownsville Herald Ferry gets ready to sail on Gulf waters that went on to say “The Regal Voyager, a ferry that will ply the waters between Port Isabel and Puerto Cortes, Honduras, is a unique ship — part cargo vessel, part Loveboat.
It boasts luxury cabins, a discotheque, a gift shop, and two hot tubs. It can carry up to 450 passengers and up to 360 cars or 60 tractor trailers.”
That was the realization of a dream for me. All my education and career experience pointed towards pioneering such a venture and here it was.
Things did go very well for awhile as another article as late as December 28, 1997 in the Herald on would indicate. SHIP AHOY! Business is booming for Regal Voyager “the Regal Voyager has been full during the past four weeks – About 200 people have made reservations for this trip,”
Then a Jan 28, 1998 story described the doom Ferry’s future sinks Regal Voyager won’t make any more trips The ferry, which was launched a year ago this month, is out of business. So is the company that ran it — the Isabel Cortes Ferry Service Ltd.
Bob Cornelison, director of the Port Isabel//San Benito Navigation District,said it best “the Regal Voyager is now in Tampa, Fla.
“I don’t expect it to return,” he said. “The ferry broke down off the
Yucatan Peninsula and I was told it would take another $1 million for a new overhaul. “They (the vessel owners) felt they have offended so many people and the ship has gained a reputation for unreliability. They thought they were better off by not returning,” the port director said of the ferry’s management.”
No replacement ship that met the requirements could be found. The company ceased operations and the backers lost their substantial investments but most of all a dream was lost or was it?
The story starts again when -The Inter-American Development Bank , Washington, D.C. the largest source of development financing for Latin America and the Caribbean, with a strong commitment to achieve measurable results, increased integrity, transparency and accountability – have an evolving reform agenda that seeks to increase our development impact in the region – posted related to the completion of their study on April 30,2010 Project RS-T1178 : Pan-American Maritime Highway, that specifically deals with Car passenger Ferry Service, that they describe as “The key aspects of the proposed Project are envisioned as follows: (i) increased passenger, tourists and commercial traffic between countries; (ii) additional facilities for transportation of import-export activities; (iii) reduce vehicular traffic congestion at border crossings; (iv) improve the quality of travel and the safety of passengers and cargo by parking transit-bound vehicles aboard the Main and Feeder RoPax Vessels; and (v) decrease air pollution from roads traffic.”
I.A.D.B. representatives were in Brownsville in February of 2006 to interview a number of folks involved in shipping which included then Brownsville Port Director Bernard List, who was a principal in the only other ferry operation, that meets the description of The Pan-American Maritime Highway, Port Isabel Port Director, Bob Cornelison several of the Transmigrante Forwarders, and individual travelers. I am told by a number unnamed participants that the report indicates that demand still lives!
While better facilities exist elsewhere the market is here in the Valley, the folks travelling are already familiar with the trip to get here and comfortable with the conversational language they find here.
Certainly, since I participated in the development of the first ferry operation, I am certainly interested in the revival.
I suspect that the Walmart in Port Isabel whose shelves emptied on the Sunday the ship departed would also like to see the Ferry return. I also think that the transmigranties who still travel through Mexico, risking the increased violence would love to see an alternative.
What would it take to make it work again?
First a facility must be found. Though there is a dock that meets the criteria at Port Isabel which is reported to be fully utilized, and even an arrangement could be reached for the dock’s use future requirements of the lessees may well preclude a permanent arrangement.
There are no docks within Port Brownsville specifically configured for the roll on / roll off type of cargo. Further, the two hour trip from the sea to port facilities is a big obstacle because of the cost and the discomfort of any passengers.
Were the Port develop a dock nearer to the sea for vessels that depend on timely movement of such cargos as container, roll on and off vehicles and trailers, cars and passengers, not to mention smaller boutique cruise ships there would certainly be more interest. As it happens an excellent possible location currently exists on Hwy 48 at the ship channel just before arriving at Port Isabel. It would be a better gamble than the amount bet on the rail bridge.
So it would seem that since the Inter-American Development Bank used such an interesting name as the Pan American Maritime Highway for vessels to take part in – there may well be a future. I just dreamed my dream ten years too early!