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George Sweeney, Opposition Critic for Government Services and MHA for the
District of Carbonear-Harbour Grace, is calling on government to
re-establish driver examination services in other communities that were
abolished in Budget 2004. Earlier this week, after sustained pressure from
the town of Burgeo and surrounding communities, the Minister of Government
Services reinstated driver examination services. "The minister finally
recognized her department made a wrong decision in Burgeo," says Sweeney.
"Now the time has come for this government to admit that similar unfair and
unwise decisions were also made with respect to these services in other
rural areas such as Bell Island, Port Saunders, St. Brides, Placentia and
Bonavista.
"Just as the people of Burgeo experienced financial hardships and
inconveniences once they lost this valuable service from their communities,
residents from these other areas are also feeling the same hardships. The
minister cannot use logic to reverse a bad decision in one area and not do
the same for other residents of our province whose services have been
abolished. It just isn’t fair in anyone’s books.
"Residents from Bell Island, for example, who wish to renew or take a
driver’s test for the first time have to catch a ferry, have someone drive
them to St. John’s; and this person then has to wait and transport the
examinee back to the island. If per chance there is a need for a second
testing, then they need to go through the hassle again which also increases
the financial hardship.
"During the election, this government committed that it would provide for
meaningful improvements to the everyday lives of Newfoundlanders and
Labradorians. Well, for those areas where driver examination services were
removed, lost services are certainly not seen as meaningful improvements. I
would expect that, with one bad decision being reversed and a considerable
cash surplus, this government would have reinstated, for all communities,
the services that were removed in 2004 as cost-cutting measures.
"Since many of those communities are represented by government members, I
feel they should have someone who will represent their interests and I am
hopeful my call to government will lead to some progress on this issue."
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