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Opposition wants confirmation from Minister on HRLE offices Butler asks if Carbonear employees will stay put February 9th, 2005
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Roland Butler, MHA for Port de Grave District and
Opposition Human Resources Labour and Employment Critic, wants Minister Joan
Burke to provide confirmation that there will be no further closure of HRLE
offices around the province. "When I raised this matter last week, the Minister’s Communications Director called my office in an attempt to kill any story related to this issue," said Butler. "The fact that I am hearing from senior civil servants within the Department that some offices are slated for closure and the Minister refuses to go on the record herself to deny the claims leads me to believe there is more to the issue than government is telling the public. The Minister must personally confirm or deny these claims." The Liberal MHA says the cuts would be wrong because they would mean further hardship for people who have to look to the Department for assistance and also because of the impact it would have on employees and the economy of rural areas. Last May, despite denying claims made by the Opposition, the Conservative government announced the closure of 20 HRLE offices around the province which provide services to some of the poorest people in this province. "The way in which the cuts happened last year and the lack of consultation with workers prior to the announcement has left a mood of mistrust with these public sector employees. "I know for a fact that some of the workers who moved to the Carbonear office from Bay Roberts last year are concerned about their future. There has been speculation that the Carbonear office may close or be downgraded and positions transferred to St. John’s. I want the Minister to be up front with these people so they can have some stability in their lives." The Liberal MHA also reiterated his point that these
cuts to offices in rural Newfoundland and Labrador are sending the wrong
messages about the viability of rural areas. "It does not inspire confidence
in the local economy when the government is packing up and leaving town.
Rather than centralizing offices, government should be looking at ways to
keep jobs in rural areas." |
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