CITY, TSC MOVE TO BRING C.A. CONSULATES, TRADE HERE

By Juan Montoya
If things go right and the initiative by Texas Southmost College and consular representatives of at least two Central American countries come
to fruition, Brownsville could hopscotch over other South Texas cities and become once again the Crossroads of the Hemisphere.
El Salvador consul Sandra Agreda (in the middle of the photo at right) and former Guatemala consul Alma Casares (right) met with Texas Southmost College board member Ramon Hinojosa recently to set the groundwork for  a formal plan of collaboration between the community college and representatives of those tow and other Central American countries to foster better relationships between them and the City of Brownsville.
Envisioned is the setting up of consular services at TSC's ITEC Building on Mexico Boulevard (the old Amigoland Mall) to formalize the plan to bring consulate services to the sizable Central American population here and to initiate a cultural and commercial relations between Brownsville and those countries.
"There is no reason why Brownsville cannot be the center of hemispheric commercial and cultural exchange," Hinojosa siad. "At one time Pan American Airlines was in Brownsville ad this city was truly the Gateway to the Hemisphere. "We see no reason why we can't be that once again."
Even though no formal plan has been presented to the TSC board or administration yet, Hinojosa said the groundwork is being laid out in these first formal meetings.
Guatemala and El Salvador already share offices in McAllen, but both women said that Brownsville representatives have been very persistent about bringing their county's consulate services to the city.