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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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