Transportation and Works
November 13, 2009
Minister Sets Record Straight on Ferry Contracts
The Honourable Tom
Marshall, acting Minister of Transportation and Works,
today responded to factually incorrect statements by the
Leader of The Opposition about tenders for the provision
of ferry services on the south coast of the island
portion of the province and on the south coast of
Labrador.
�In a news release issued earlier this afternoon,
Opposition Leader Yvonne Jones stated that the
Provincial Government issued tenders earlier this year
to build six coastal ferry vessels,� said Minister
Marshall. �This is factually incorrect information being
spread in an effort to mislead the people of the
province and more specifically the people of the Terra
Nova District who are in the middle of a by-election.
Ms. Jones has clearly shown she either does not know the
facts of this matter or that she has simply chosen to
ignore them for political gain.�
The Department of
Transportation and Works currently provides five
contracted ferry services along the south coast of the
island and one on the south coast of Labrador. This past
summer, the department issued tenders for ten-year
contracts with private contractors to provide these
services using vessels no older than 15 years at the
start of the contract.
�Ms. Jones should know
the very basic fact that these services are not provided
using government-owned vessels,� said Minister Marshall.
�These tenders were for the provision of ferry services
by private contractors, as they have always been
provided, and not for the construction of new ferries.
Furthermore, these tenders have not been awarded yet and
it is unfortunate that such misinformation is being used
in an attempt to win votes in a by-election.�
The department has
already awarded contracts to Marystown Shipyard Ltd. for
the construction of two new intra-provincial ferries and
construction is underway. In addition, the engines have
been purchased for a third vessel and the department has
appointed a design consultant for a 60-car vessel to
replace the Capt. Earl W. Winsor which currently serves
Fogo Island-Change Islands. Minister Marshall stated
that these new ferries will benefit rural areas of the
province and are in keeping with the Williams
Government�s Bluebook commitment.
�The Leader of the
Opposition and the people of this province know full
well our government�s commitment to building vessels in
this province,� added Minister Marshall. �Our vessel
replacement strategy is seeing the province�s fleet
being upgraded with newer, modern vessels � and not with
old rust buckets sourced from Europe as was the strategy
of the previous Liberal administration of which Ms.
Jones was a part. This government has rolled out
unprecedented money for our infrastructure strategy
which is valued at more than $4 billion over the next
several years. This year alone we have tendered projects
in excess of $1.6 billion. This extraordinary
expenditure demonstrates our commitment to growing the
economy of this province and putting people to work.�
The minister also pointed out well in excess of 80% of
total infrastructure spending by the Williams�
Government has been in rural Newfoundland and Labrador.
�For the Leader of the Opposition to once again claim
that this government does not look after rural
Newfoundland and Labrador is insulting and just wrong,�
said Minister Marshall. �We are spending a tremendous
amount of money to invest in our roads, schools,
hospitals and other infrastructure in rural areas.�
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Media contact:
Roger Scaplen
Director of Communications
Department of Transportation and Works
709-729-3015, 697-5267
rogerscaplen@gov.nl.ca
2009 11 13
4:30 p.m.
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