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Crab license for St. Anthony proves that Fish Processing
Licensing Board does not have the final decision March 3, 2005
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Gerry Reid, Opposition Fisheries Critic and MHA for the District of
Twillingate-Fogo, says the awarding of a crab license to St. Anthony proves
that the newly established Fish Processing Licensing Board is just another
level of bureaucracy and has no real or final authority when awarding
processing licenses. Last week, Minister Taylor established a Fish Processing Licensing Board, a decision that did not follow the recommendation of the Dunne report to establish an independent decision-making body on the awarding of fish processing licenses in the province. The final decision on the awarding of these licenses still remains with the Minister of Fisheries and Aquaculture. "I said last week that this Fish Processing Licensing Board was much ado about nothing," said Mr. Reid. "The Dunne Report recommended the establishment of an independent, arms-length board that would make decisions related to who would receive fish processing licenses in this province. The Minster of Fisheries and Aquaculture still has the authority to grant licenses and overrule the board. This is not independent, arms-length or removed from politics, as was evident yesterday with the awarding of a crab license to St. Anthony. "Yesterday’s awarding of a crab license to St. Anthony demonstrates that this newly established board is nothing more than smoke and mirrors. It is ironic that the board wasn’t even consulted about Minister Taylor’s decision to award this license. This board hasn’t been in place for even a week and the minister has already decided to ignore their presence. "In the past year, other communities and plants have requested new licenses or the reactivation of old licenses, but were turned down on the premise that they would have to go through the new licensing board. It is ironic that the same treatment wasn’t given to the St. Anthony request in Minister Taylor’s own district. "If Minister Taylor truly wanted this to be an independent board, he would have asked them to review the St. Anthony license application and come to their own decision. If all of the evidence was placed in front of them, I am certain they would agree that there is already overcapacity in the crab industry. This new license will only create more hardships for the workers who are already struggling to make a living from this sector."
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