"When Mr. Williams ran for election, he spoke of his business experience and how he would put that to work helping to revitalize the rural areas of our province. He spoke of the need to develop new strategies to help rural Newfoundland and Labrador grow and prosper." said Foote. "Given the Premier’s actions to date, clearly he had no plan in mind and, after a year in office, he is still lacking in ideas on how to help the people and the communities in rural Newfoundland and Labrador."

The Liberal MHA is speaking out following a meeting held recently at the Terra Nova Golf Resort where the Premier held discussions regarding the Rural Secretariat. "I have been asking questions about the Rural Secretariat since it was first announced last year. Government refuses to admit that all they have done to date is taken an initiative of the former Liberal government and given it a different name. The Premier renamed the Strategic Social Plan and called it The Rural Secretariat. That is the extent of his contribution to date to revitalize rural Newfoundland and Labrador. He has not put one additional dollar into rural development or business development in the province since he took office."

Foote says, since taking office, the Williams administration has continuously hurt rural areas of the province. "The Conservative government’s focus on the debt and the deficit has resulted in the closure of government offices throughout rural Newfoundland and Labrador resulting in a loss of jobs and therefore services. Forcing a province-wide strike, canceling previously approved health care facilities, reducing the number of teachers, closing HRLE offices and reducing driver examination services have all meant fewer jobs primarily in our rural areas. Such actions have had a ripple effect throughout rural Newfoundland and Labrador. Where we saw positive initiatives taking place last year and our rural communities starting to prosper, this year those same communities are hurting and it is because Premier Williams has failed to take into account the needs of rural Newfoundland and Labrador when making decisions.

"It is time the Premier realized that his actions have wrecked havoc on the lives of the people of the province and change direction before it is too late. A strategy to sustain and enhance our rural areas is essential at this time. Premier Williams has to make the survival of rural Newfoundland and Labrador a priority. The direction he has given to date to centralize all government services has been disastrous for rural Newfoundland and Labrador. Once again I am calling on the Premier to live up to commitments he gave when trying to get elected. The people and communities in the rural parts of our province deserve no less."