Opening date announced for House of Assembly

Government House Leader Tom Lush today announced that the current House of Assembly will prorogue at 1:30 p.m. on Tuesday, March 18.

Following this, on Wednesday, March 19, at 2:00 p.m., His Honour Lieutenant Governor Edward Roberts will open the Fifth Session of the 44th General Assembly of the legislature with the reading of the Speech from the Throne.

"This will be a special session," said Minister Lush, �Our new Lieutenant Governor will make his first Throne Speech and participate in his first budget. I am sure he will bring a new and interesting perspective to the process. The Throne Speech is a document of our vision for the next year, for the immediate future of two to three years and beyond. The Throne Speech will define what the government believes and has learned from the people of Newfoundland and Labrador, is of importance to us, what is expected of us to move ahead, to grow, to prosper.

"This past year we completed an aggressive agenda in which we passed 27 pieces of legislature, including the Mineral and Mining Tax Rights Act, the new cell phone legislation and the Adoption Act. This legislation is part of government�s continuing effort to meet the promises we made to the people of Newfoundland and Labrador. The upcoming session will provide an opportunity for us to further advance initiatives through government�s work plan of action."

Media contact: Janice Lockyer, Communications, (709) 729-1341.

2003 02 21                                       4:35 p.m.