Government’s Broadband Initiative gone underground says Opposition 

Kelvin Parsons, MHA for the District of Burgeo & La Poile, says government has buried its Government Broadband Initiative (GBI) and communities, government services and people throughout the province are left in a black hole without the benefit of any advanced communications for the foreseeable future.

Government spent $15 Million in 2007 on a redundant fibre optic cable that was built by the premier’s buddies and promoted as not only needed, but critical to the socio-economic success of our regions. Four years later, in February 2010, government quietly revealed that its GBI, which would have utilized this cable,  was no longer on track.

“This government has had six years to make improvements in communication infrastructure and aside from spending $15 million of taxpayers money, this government has failed to bring broadband connectivity to rural regions of the province,” says Parsons. “We have people calling our office all the time complaining about lack of access to high-speed internet and further, over 1000 government facilities and 220 communities around the province are also now technologically disadvantaged by this cancellation.”

Parsons points out that not only are people affected, but the economic progress of communities and regions are at risk.   “This is yet another attack on rural Newfoundland and Labrador by this government and highlights government’s inability to manage a large-scale project within its projected costs.

“The access to ultra-speed internet is as essential as telephone and electricity services. We need it to communicate, conduct business, provide health care and to access information.  We have been set back by a decade or more by government’s bungling of this crucial project.   I strongly encourage the provincial government to get this initiative back on track and call upon them to partner with the federal government who recently announced new funding under Broadband Canada: Connecting Rural Canadians. This program allows governments to access federal money to ensure connectivity
of rural regions of the country.       

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