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The following is being distributed at the request of the Newfoundland and Labrador Oil Development Allied Trades Council:

Derm Cain, president of the Newfoundland and Labrador Oil Development Council (ODC), states that the blockade by the Fishermen's Union at the entrance to the Bull Arm site is most unfortunate and very disappointing, indeed.

This blockade and holding the media bus hostage is totally and absolutely the actions taken by the FFAWU and the fisherpersons who are so profoundly affected by the TAGS program.

We respect the rights of the fisherpersons to be heard. This is a political issue that could have been dealt with throughout the Prime Minister's election campaign at a more appropriate time and place with full national media attention and coverage.

This was the day that the work force and their unions in this province were looking forward to with great enthusiasm. It is the end result of six years of hard work by very dedicated people.

There was no need to pit worker against worker on this day at Bull Arm at this time.

The blockade has absolutely nothing to do with the ODC or its members. The facts is, this day was to be a joint day of celebration by the construction workers of this province and their owners who worked so hard to have the Hibernia platform completed. As a matter of fact, some of the very people who are at the blockade today worked on the construction site while under the TAGS program. Our construction unions and its members were proud that there was an opportunity for the TAGS people to earn extra money while the fishery moratorium was in place.

Union representatives from across Canada, whose union members were part of the project were to be at the site today to honour and pay tribute to a project; the largest of its kind in North America, built by Newfoundland and Labradorians.

The Fishermen's Union representatives at no time took time to discuss their blockade with the ODC, which may have given the parties an opportunity to arrange meetings with the Prime Minister. This is very disappointing.

The ODC understands the plight of the fisherpersons, its union and its representatives, but suggests there are many other places and times during the Prime Minister's visit to get national media attention without disrupting the most successful construction project taken in this country.

The ODC will do its utmost to speak to Earle McCurdy as soon as possible to see if there is a solution to the current stand-off.

Contact: Derm Cain, president, (709) 747-9040.