Critics call for action after ferry breaks down

W Bagg

- July 22, 2012 at 21:59:31

re-locate everyone to Halifax, it wouldn't take long to pay for itself. we could shut down the ferry to St. Brennan's, Bell Island, Blanc Sablon, Pilley's Island, and the Cape Breton Port Aux Basques...........................the list goes on.

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Brian

- July 22, 2012 at 21:57:02

@Don; The same argument would have everyone north on the Canso straight move to Nova Scotia, seeing as the Gulf service is subsidized as well. The Bell Island run is a small portion of the problem, the whole coastal fleet is due for renewal (excluding the new ferries, Grace Sparkes & Hazel MacIssac).

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BornAndBred

- July 22, 2012 at 11:13:08

Newfoundland is a province where the culture and history is built on rural communities. Our people simply are the way we are because of where our ancestors and we have eked out a living. This culture is to be valued, and is respected and admired by people the world over. Travelers from all corners of the earth venture here to discover our uniqueness, both culturally and geographically, on places like Bell Island. DON, if you're looking for assimilation and urbanization; Porter has a sale on tickets to Toronto....Bon Voyage!

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wayne harvey

- July 22, 2012 at 11:09:51

Just about the only thing that Comrade Joey Smallwood was right about during his dictatorship, was the fact that too many people are scattered far and wide around this province of ours. However, being known for not having a clue what he was doing in most cases and, not being particularly interested in listening to any one around him that might be a little more enlightened than himself, he rambled on and repeated the sane rhetoric over and over ad infanitum. He resettled the wrong places with all the consequences that his decisions wrought. The targets of his hallucination should have been places like Beautiful Bell Iland, ST. Brendans and the other welfare pits around NL.To the artistic amongst us who find inspiration for their works on the craggy shores of such outcrops, I say good luck in your misery and your Pierre Raddisson like passion is to be applauded as you uncover new reasons that the rest of us should contribute to your sado-masochistic way of life. It's Summers end now, and I anticipate a big sale on rubber boats.--- anchors away

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mike

- July 21, 2012 at 23:07:46

ONE WORD TUNNEL!!!!.Tunnels don't break down & don't stop for ice or wind.It might cost a couple of billion dollars but it will pay for it's self in the long run.It's time we stop paying for junk that the goverment think's they are getting a good deal on.

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db

- July 21, 2012 at 17:16:47

i guess Don doesn,t have any family living on bell island, but there are many hard working people who depend on the ferry , take away his transportation for a month then see how he feels. Maybe they could relocate him to another place without any means of getting where he needs to go.we pay for service but we don,t get what we pay for.

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Don

- July 21, 2012 at 12:42:59

Relocate all the people to St. John's. It would not long paying for itself. If they won't move then let the people of Bell Island take over the fery service and pay for it themselves. I'm tired of subsidizing their transportation and then having to listen to them whine.

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  Gerald

  - July 21, 2012 at 23:14:03

  So nice to see the moronic Smallwood-era resettlement talk. Might have made sense way back when, but Don, if you had even half a brain and got out from behind your computer screen and actually visited Bell Island you would clearly see just how wrong and truly dumb your constant negative comments truly are. The people of Bell Island are hard working and contribute to the government coffers just as much, per capita, as you city folk do. Just like any community in the province, sure there is unemployment and welfare cases. Why don't we ever see comments from you about that? Open your mind, let the moths out and go enjoy the little bit of paradise in the bay that is Bell Island.

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  Fred

  - July 22, 2012 at 09:28:55

  Maybe they're tired of paying for services you use but they don't or can't. Or maybe they're just not petty about it. How do you feel about subdizing millionares and their corporations?

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  AF

  - July 22, 2012 at 13:51:35

  Newfoundland is a province where the culture and history is built on rural communities. Our people simply are the way we are because of where our ancestors and we have eked out a living. This culture is to be valued, and is respected and admired by people the world over. Travelers from all corners of the earth venture here to discover our uniqueness, both culturally and geographically, on places like Bell Island. Don, if you're looking for assimilation and urbanization; Porter has a sale on tickets to Toronto....Bon Voyage!

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  Brad

  - July 22, 2012 at 20:31:47

  Relocate NL people to Nova Scotia. It would take 15 years to pay for itself. If they wont move. Then make the NL govt take over Marine Atlantic and let them pay for the ferry themselves. As a former NB resident, I am sick and darn tired of paying for Newfies transportation and having to listen to them whine over a ferry service that they also complain about for Bell Island ...impeccable logic btw Don.

Bill Montevecchi

- July 21, 2012 at 12:23:58

This is third world or worse ferry service. It's been that way for years. It's an embarrassing disgrace for the people of Bell Island and for the very many visitors and tourists that go to island. It is time for the government to stop talking about it and just get it right. It's not rocket science - it's lack of government commitment and resolution that is at fault. Fix this and good ferry service will follow.

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al

- July 21, 2012 at 10:58:13

I am not a visitor but now live in Ontario and was back there two weeks ago when I ried to go to Bell island and was stuck in the lineup from 1230 pm - 3 pm due to mechanical issues they were having. It is time they invested in good ferries and get going on building a fixed link to the island. You cannot possibly depend on the ferries they have now for one more day.

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mike phelan

- July 21, 2012 at 10:51:05

nice place to visit! but when you do you never know when you will get back off the island!! GOVERMENT there need to wake up and look after the people that pay the taxes to purchase these ferries such as the new ones on the north syndey run that keep breakin down also!!!!!!!!!!!

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Ken Collis

- July 21, 2012 at 09:52:40

In Rencontre East we haven't had a ferry for five weeks now. The provincial ferrys are totally mismanaged. Most vessels are very old and need regular independant audits that would highlight potential machinery breakdowns by accessing maintenance records and matching them with manufacturers recomended service periods. These independant audits are the norm in the marine industry. Our provincial officials use the vessel owners word that the boat can do the job, and they depend on Transport Canada annual inspections. The problem with that method is that Transport Canada only inspects to see if the vessel is seaworthy, safe, and the crew are properly trained. They don't look into the vessels suitablity for the intended task or the condition of non-critical systems. The next time the minister brags about a ferry being on service someone should ask how many weeks ferry downtime were there this year in the province.

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JT

- July 21, 2012 at 09:22:09

Build a bridge.....a toll bridge even. This wouldn't be any longer than the one connecting Halifax and Dartmouth. It would pay for itself over time.

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  BK

  - July 21, 2012 at 20:05:39

  JT - Yes, a toll bridge will pay for itself over time - maybe in a 1,000 years. Bridge/fixed link to Bell Island - nuts.