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Opposition Leader Roger Grimes, Burgeo-Lapoile MHA Kelvin
Parsons, and Bay of Islands MHA Eddie Joyce, today provided an update on the
broken promises and inaction of the Danny Williams government in their first
nine months in office. The Opposition MHA’s presented a breakdown and status
report of the 134 commitments made by Danny Williams and the PC Party during
the election. "The people of Newfoundland and
Labrador have just suffered through nine months of Danny Williams
governance," said Grimes. "In our last update in February, the Premier
stated that we did not provide him with enough time to enact any of his
election promises. The Premier has now presented a budget and has finished a
full legislative session of the House of Assembly. Our analysis shows that
they still have only kept a handful of their election promises.
"The true agenda of this government has become very
clear. They had a hidden agenda of cutbacks, layoffs and service reductions
before they even took office. It is obvious that their election promises
were made to serve one purpose, to ensure they got elected. What do we have
to show for their actions? We have the worst labour relations climate in the
province in decades; a frontal attack on the services the people of this
province use on a daily basis; an education system that is suffering through
an ill thought out restructuring plan; hundreds of layoffs and job cuts;
increased fees; and the creation of a social deficit in the province. This
is not what the people of the province voted for last fall.
"After nine months of being in power, the Premier has
still kept less than 10 commitments out of a total of 134. Where is Mr.
Williams new approach to governing? If this Premier wants to restore
confidence to the people of this province, his first step should be
fulfilling his election promises instead of making up excuses.
Newfoundlanders and Labradorians are sick of the Premier’s rhetoric! Now is
the time for his actions to speak louder than his empty words."
Kelvin Parsons said he is disappointed with
government’s approach to west coast and rural issues. "We have already
witnessed many service reductions in rural areas of our province and I worry
that this government has more to come. I fear their agenda of health care
restructuring will devastate certain areas of our province and force people
to travel longer distances for their vital health care services. Their
broken promises have already left behind a trail of mistrust. I hope Mr.
Williams realizes that his current agenda is having a very negative impact
on many of our communities. Now is the time to change course and grow our
economy as he promised.
"During the election Danny Williams promised mill
workers in Stephenville that he would not only address Abitibi's wood supply
and energy problems, but also that ‘they'd do so immediately’. Nine months
later, there are still no solutions with hundreds of jobs at risk. Voters in
Bay St. George should be demanding more from Jim Hodder and Joan Burke."
Eddie Joyce said that this government’s commitment to
Corner Brook and the Bay of Islands was dismal. "Many of the broken promises
and decisions of this government have had a very negative impact on the
Corner Brook region. The long-term care facility is not getting the
attention it was promised; hundreds of layoffs have hurt many families;
initiatives such as the West Coast Exhibition Centre have been cancelled;
the expansion of Herdman Collegiate has been deferred; the Department of
Finance Office has been closed; there has been a seven month delay of the
installation of the new MRI machine; there has been no new funding for road
work in the Bay of Islands; government is refusing the raise the roof of the
new school in Meadows; and the Municipal Operating Grant and Capital Works
Funding for the City of Corner Brook have both been reduced this year. I
fear that other vital initiatives for our region will be on the chopping
block if this government is allowed to proceed with their right-wing slash
and burn agenda."
The three Liberal MHA’s said that the people of
Newfoundland and Labrador want a government that invests in people, believes
in fairness, openness and accountability, and listens to the people of the
province. After nine months in office, the three MHA’s agree that this
government remains well off the mark.
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