Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: TUESDAY, July 19, 1994 TAG: 9407190048
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: B4 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: Associated Press
DATELINE: RICHMOND LENGTH: Medium
He and his wife, Susan, plan to promote Virginia's ports, tourism sites and products on the nine-day trip that begins today after they leave the National Governors' Association meeting in Boston. They will spend five days in Canada before heading south to New Orleans and Mexico.
Allen said he scheduled the trip because the North American Free Trade Agreement took effect Jan. 1. The pact removes trade barriers among the United States, Canada and Mexico.
``I want to showcase Virginia, its products and its people,'' Allen said. ``The commonwealth is the `Gateway to North America.'''
Allen said many states already have made inroads into Mexico and Canada, and Virginia must act aggressively to get its share of the market.
His goals include promoting Virginia ports and tourism sites, improving air service from Virginia to Mexico and Canada and helping Virginia business people understand the two countries.
With that in mind, Allen invited 25 business executives to join him on the trip - paying their own way.
Taxpayers are picking up the tab for the Allens, 11 aides and economic development officials and three Cabinet secretaries - Secretary of Commerce and Trade Robert Skunda, Secretary of Transportation Robert Martinez and Secretary of Education Beverly Sgro.
Canada is Virginia's second-largest trading partner behind Japan. The state shipped $1.1 billion in goods north of the border in 1993, with transportation equipment, electronic equipment, industrial machinery and chemicals, rubber and plastic products topping the list.
Mexico, the state's 15th-ranked trading partner, received $176 million in Virginia goods, a 19 percent increase from 1992.
The major products sent to Mexico were electronics, industrial machinery, chemicals, manufactured food products, rubber and plastics.
``People were anticipating that there would be increased trade between the two countries'' because of NAFTA, said Jackelyn Viera, who handles special projects for the secretary of commerce and trade.
Allen has said he would focus his trade missions on Latin America and Eastern Europe. He is following a tradition of Virginia governors making frequent trips overseas, primarily to Europe and Asia. Former Govs. Gerald Baliles and Douglas Wilder waited until their second year in office to begin traveling. Baliles and Wilder took a total of 15 overseas trips.
At the governors' meeting Monday, Allen joined a bipartisan group of governors in endorsing the world trade pact known as the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade.
Allen was assured by U.S. Trade Representative Mickey Kantor that the Clinton administration would not try to increase taxes or fees on U.S. ports to help make up lost tariff revenue under the agreement.
by CNB