Ministers announce study of Labrador Coastal Marine Service

Government is proceeding with its commitment to complete a review of the Labrador Coastal Marine Service before any decision is made with respect to the configuration of the service for 2004.

Tom Rideout, Minister of Works, Services and Transportation and Trevor Taylor, Minister responsible for Labrador Affairs, today announced that the Public Policy Research Centre at Memorial University would conduct an independent study to allow government to make a decision on this issue by the end of February.

"The issue regarding the Labrador Coastal Marine Service has been on-going -for some time," said Minister Rideout. "Our intention as government is to have an independent body determine the evidence-based foundation of configuring the service. To ensure stakeholders in this issue have adequate notice to prepare for the 2004 season, and beyond, we will receive this report for consideration by mid-February, and will make a decision on the service by the end of that month."

"We want to have an economic foundation for our decision about the future of the Labrador Coastal Marine Service," said Minister Taylor. "This service has to ensure that the people of Labrador have affordable and reliable access to goods and to passenger services that meet their needs. That is the ultimate goal, and the work of the Public Policy Research Centre will assist in determining how we as a government can meet that goal."

Ministers Rideout and Taylor stated that they would act quickly on the report to ensure that there would be time to prepare adequately for the 2004 season. Both ministers also confirmed their commitment to ensuring that the decision taken would be in the best economic interests of the province and its communities based on the evidence put forward by the Public Policy Research Centre.

Media contact: Craig Ennis, Communications, (709) 729-1537

2003 11 27                                           3:15 p.m.