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Eddie Joyce, MHA for the District of Bay of Islands and
Opposition Critic for Transportation says today’s announcement
by government that it is seeking an expression of interest to
develop the design of two provincial ferry vessels is little
more than a feeble effort to conceal an unproductive vessel
replacement strategy.
"This government is once again sending up another screen of
smoke to mask the fact that they have not followed through on
their bluebook commitment to replace some or all of the
provincial ferry fleet with new vessels built in the province.
Here we are nearly at the end of their four year mandate and all
we see are more delay tactics, with not one new ferry
construction started in this province since they took over
government in 2003."
The Liberal MHA says that last year the government
commissioned an expensive $500,000 study which was awarded to a
Quebec company to provide advice on how government should
implement its vessel replacement commitment. And today, we have
another press release that merely calls for an expression of
interest in providing design work. It will be next year before
any work can even start on building the ferries and there is no
real assurance that the ferries will actually be built in this
province which would assist the shipbuilding facilities that are
sitting idle.
"Former Auditor General Beth Marshall, in one of her reports,
outlined the ferry situation in province and the government
based its bluebook commitment on vessel replacement on this
work, but once in government they refused to utilize this work.
Instead they commissioned another study which was a blatant
waste of money. This lame announcement today reeks of the same
smoke the government dispersed as a screen when it committed to
creating equitable passenger ferry rates across the province.
Instead, we see a 25 percent increase in 3 years for ferries in
Newfoundland and Labrador.
"We see a government that is rudderless on yet another issue.
Taking any real action and making any real progress appears not
to be in their capability and fulfilling a bluebook commitment
seems to be as rare as new ferries in Newfoundland and
Labrador."
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