Remittances key for growth

Remittances to the nation last year reached US$23 billion

Wire services
El Universal
Jueves 01 de febrero de 2007

U.S. Treasurer Anna Escobedo Cabral said Wednesday that remittances are a driving force of Mexico´s economic growth and that the country should encourage migrants´ families to invest their money.
Speaking at the Bankers Club, Cabral said Mexico´s financial sector should do more to bring remittance money into formal financial channels by making credit, insurance and mortgage products easily available.

Remittances to Mexico last year reached US$23 billion, a 15 percent increase over 2005, which was considered a record year, Mexico´s central bank announced Wednesday.

In recent years, banks have competed for customers wiring money to Mexico by lowering their transaction fees.

Cabral said the public and private sectors could do more to help Mexicans "build their assets and invest their money wisely," which would spur business, jobs and economic growth.

Also at the meeting, Louisiana state Treasurer John Kennedy said Mexican workers were a key element in his state´s recovery from Hurricane Katrina.

"There is no doubt in my mind that we could not have made nearly the progress we have made without the working people from your country who have come to my state to rebuild," he said.

The number of Mexicans living in Louisiana has risen to about 5,000 from 3,000 since the storm on Aug. 29, 2005, and as many as another 30,000 may be coming and going from Louisiana.

http://www.mexiconews.com.mx/miami/23238.html