Judy Foote, MHA for the District of Grand Bank, is questioning where the promised new Grand Bank health care facility is, as committed to by the premier last year. 

On  November 2, 2005,  Premier Williams  announced in Grand Bank that government would invest $11 million to build a new primary health clinic in that community and redevelop the Blue Crest Inter Faith Home.

AIt has been over a year, and the only work done  has been the removal of portions of the steel that formed the structure put in place by the previous Liberal administration,@ says Foote. A The previous government had begun construction of a combined new health care facility and seniors home.  That project was cancelled by the Conservative government when it assumed office, even though three and a half million dollars had been spent preparing the ground work and erecting the steel framework.   

AI am told that while some of the steel was sold, much was destroyed during the demolition. As the remaining steel structure stands abandoned, residents wonder if the premier will ever live up to his commitment. What is equally troublesome is the likelihood the government is orchestrating events to ensure work won=t start until close to the election expected in October of 2007.  If tenders are not  called until February, work will not get underway until the spring at the earliest.  Construction would then be going full steam during the next provincial election. While this would undoubtedly suit the premier=s agenda, it would be at the expense of the residents of the Burin Peninsula who depend on the health clinic and the Blue Crest Seniors Home.

 APolitical motivation appears to be the only explanation for why this important project, especially the health care clinic, is taking so long. Plans already existed for the clinic in the previous drawings. The only difference is the removal of the two wings of the existing steel structure where the seniors home would have been accommodated.  Because of these unnecessary delays, residents of the area are forced to go to the existing health care clinic which is housed in an old cottage hospital. This 70- year-old structure is unfit for people to step inside, let alone seek help.  Those who are forced to use it, and those who have no choice but work in that environment, are questioning the project=s delay.

 AIf this government had not cancelled the previous project, residents of Grand Bank and surrounding area would be enjoying a state-of-the-art facility today, where health care workers would also benefit from working side-by-side in the best interest of patients and seniors.@