The Sound of Islay ferry has departed from the community of South East Bight and is destined for Green Bay after local RCMP officers were able to convince residents to end their protest.
Residents chained the vessel to the dock Monday night to protest the provincial government’s decision to send the swing vessel to Green Bay, where it will relieve the Hazel McIsaac. That vessel is scheduled to undergo its annual refit.
A spokeswoman for the Department of Transportation and Works said the Sound of Islay departed around 1:30 p.m. today, 30 minutes after officers first arrived on the scene. She said the protest ended without confrontation.
The department said helicopter service to and from the island will begin Thursday morning, weather permitting.
The province has signed a contract with Norcon Marine Services to use its vessel Joseph M. for the run between Petit Forte and South East Bight on the Burin Peninsula. However, that vessel is undergoing work in Clarenville and is not expected to be ready until sometime in February.
The South East Bight and Rencontre East runs are set to share the provincial vessel Northern Seal and a helicopter until the Joseph M. is ready for service.
Residents in South East Bight are concerned the helicopter will not be able to make all of the necessary trips in winter weather conditions.
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just a brief message regarding the ferry service in rencontre east and a comment on crime in the community. the people of rencontre east do deserve a reliable boat to service the community ,and government should contemplate on pushing a road through to the community. only then i could say that life there would be priceless. crime do excess in the community including drunk driving on atv's put not reported. the farm industry in the community employes some 26 workers or so, but the wages are very low and i'm not surprised by that because that's what you gets from a large corporation . i was told recently that a vessel called "northern ranger" will be coming on the coast soon , that would be a constructive decision by government to have a boat of that quality to be put on the run from bay'largent to rencontre and pools cove-i really hope this would be permanent rather than temporary-i fear the later. the people of rencontre east should be insistent on writing their MHA and getting petitions to send to their MHA to be read when the house of assembly is in session. this would put more pressure on government to act on their behalf to get a suitable boat on the run. i just like to add, that pot holes in st.johns and surrounding towns are only minuscule to the pot holes in rencontre. we have the equipment there to work on these potholes, it doesn't seem the will is there to fix them up- i just hope better days lies ahead for the community