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Barrett says government wastage could have been used to provide other services February 4, 2005
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Percy Barrett, MHA for the District of Bellevue, says
government should be held accountable for their decisions, re-evaluate it’s
spending priorities, stop wastage and provide essential services to the
public. "I have serious concerns with government wasting $450,000 in termination costs to unnecessarily fire two senior public servants when people are having essential services cut," said Barrett. "The Premier says he will lead by example and cut costs. Well this decision shows that the Premier is willing to waste money if it suits his own agenda." As an example, Barrett says residents on Old Mill Road in Goobies, Beachy Cove Road in Tors Cove and users of the Trans Labrador Highway in Southern Labrador would not have faced cuts to snow-clearing services this year if government was more responsible with it’s spending. "The Premier had a fight with the former Minister of Health and ended up firing a Deputy Minister at an enormous cost to taxpayers. This was an unnecessary wastage of almost $250,000 that could have plowed these roads for several years. "The last budget announced massive fee increases and service reductions throughout government. I have already heard of several services that will be cut in the upcoming announcement of program renewal. The public should not be expected to swallow these hardships when the government refuses to be responsible and accountable." A recent Freedom of Information request filed by the
Opposition revealed government has spent approximately $8 million in
severance due to terminations. This total does not include other pending
terminations and court cases resulting from program renewal and health care
restructuring. |
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