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Eddie Joyce, MHA for the District of the Bay of Islands, is once
again calling on the Williams’ government and the Town of
Stephenville to release reports related to the Stephenville
flood, following a similar recommendation by the Office of the
Information and Privacy commissioner earlier this week. The
Opposition has asked government on a number of occasions to
release this report, but government and the council had refused
its requests. The commissioner presented his position on Tuesday
and, according to Joyce, there appears to be no reason why the
government and council should not comply with the ruling.
"The residents of Stephenville who have been affected by the
flood have been through a stressful enough ordeal," says Joyce.
"Their lives and plans for their future have been disrupted for
many months. It is time for government to make the right move
and finally allow residents access to this pertinent
information, rather than withholding it, so that they can get on
with their lives.
The Liberal opposition member says when he met with these
families, they stated they needed these reports to make informed
decisions about their future. Joyce says he trusts that once the
Stephenville flood reports are released, it will not affect the
work expected to be tendered and that the information contained
within the documents will assist homeowners to make appropriate
choices.
Joyce says he repeatedly asked questions of government and
the Town of Stephenville why they were withholding this report.
"Both the department of Municipal Affairs and the Town of
Stephenville were stating that there was no such report, but
there had to be a criteria established by officials that
declared certain areas inside or outside the flood zone. This
report had to be submitted to and approved by both levels of
government.
"I also find it inconceivable that the member for
Stephenville East, Joan Burke, told the residents to file under
Freedom of Information if they wanted a copy of the report..
These residents have worked with all branches of government, but
to no avail. I now call upon MHA Burke to assist these residents
to obtain a full copy of this report and all details related to
establishing the flood zone. It is high time for these residents
to have the necessary facts to be able to put this ordeal behind
them. They deserve no less and government is obligated to ensure
they obtain it."
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