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Opposition Leader Roger Grimes says he is disappointed that government today
passed Bill 3, a supplementary supply Bill that allows government to spend
their $103 million cash surplus on the mortgage of selected buildings. The
Opposition Leader put forward an amendment, seconded by Bellevue MHA Percy
Barrett, that would have seen a small portion of this money taken out of the
cash surplus to look after a few pressing projects that were forgotten in
the budget. This fiscal year, government had a cash surplus of $103
million, but decided to spend this money repaying the long-term debt of the
Newfoundland and Labrador Education Investment Corporation and the
Newfoundland and Labrador Heritage Corporation, a payment scheme totaling
$117 million. These payments were not included in last year’s budget and no
advance indication was given that this amount of money would be spent during
this fiscal year to pay these long-term debts.
"I was very disappointed that the priority of this government is once
again debt reduction, not looking after the pressing needs of
Newfoundlanders and Labradorians," said Mr. Grimes. "We asked government not
to spend all of this cash surplus on paying down the mortgage of government
buildings, but instead use a small portion of this unexpected money to build
the cancer clinic in Grand Falls-Windsor, the Mealy Mountain Auditorium in
Happy Valley-Goose Bay, the Grand Bank Health Care facility, and provide a
CT Scanner and dialysis unit for the Burin Peninsula. Our amendment was
defeated.
"I was especially surprised that Windsor-Springdale MHA Ray Hunter, Lake
Melville MHA John Hickey, and Burin-Placentia West MHA Clyde Jackman refused
to stand up for their constituents and support our amendment. It is obvious
that these members are willing to toe- the party line, instead of fighting
for the needs of their respective communities.
"We will continue to press these issues in the House of Assembly until
government sees their importance. It is unfortunate that local government
MHA’s are not willing to stand with us in demanding that their cabinet
colleagues recognize these spending priorities. At the end of the day, each
member will have to justify their actions to their constituents and explain
why they are not willing to pressure government for these valuable
initiatives."
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