Below is a press release issued by David Brazil respecting concern that no funds were allocated in Budget 2006 for new vessel construction and concern over excessive delays doing studies and designs. It will likely be 2009 before there is a new ferry launched and the next 3 years will continue to see reliance on the Nonia most likely for 4-5 months a year.

Funding for the 2 vessel service continuance appears intact yet we know that Departmental officials continue to throw out their views of the concept of a one vessel service with a larger vessel which is 100% unacceptable to the Committee.

We have still had no input into the 2005 BMT study yet decisions are being made to design 2 ferries without that input.

We are completely in the dark on where any new vessels will be assigned and the acceptability of the size and design features etc if there vessels might end up being deployed as swing ferries to Bell Island.

It would appear that there are some monies in the Budget for long overdue dock repairs .

We have still to hear if monies have been allocated for widening the ferry line-up lane and related terminal improvements but there is optimism

The Ministerial Provincial Advisory Committee to Minister Taylor on ferry matters committed to be set up in 2005 has yet to meet- Mayor Gosine is a nominee member.

Also please be advised that ferry rates will increase effective April 1 by another 5%.

Headline: New ferry vessel construction delayed (17 years and still waiting )

Zero funding in Budget 2006 for new ferry vessel "construction" reflects a worrisome continuing lack of urgency by successive Governments in providing safe and reliable ferry services to over 40 rural Newfoundland and Labrador ferry dependent communities.

Funding for new ferry designs only in 2006 is disappointing too. There was a design completed in 2003 on a swing ferry and with modifications there should be no obstacle to starting construction on at least this ferry in 2006.

Given the current plan it would at best be the fall of 2007 after 12 months for design and 6 months for tendering and materials ordering before the first shipyard worker gets a job building the first ferry (18 months from now) and 2009 before the first vessel is launched. ( 36 months all told) ,The state of the fleet is such that it cannot sustain another 3-4 year delay.

The aged fleet of 20 mostly decrepit vessels has an average age of 33 years and do not meet modern safety vessel design standards. Broken down vessels continue to harm the rural economies of these communities.

Delays for studies such as the 2005 BMT Fleet Study have already stalled new construction. User groups and related stakeholders were not allowed to contribute to the Study. Further studies and another 12 months for design work are inconceivable given the gravity of the shambles of the fleet.

An action plan to build new vessels is ridiculously overdue and new vessel construction critically needs to be started in 2006 once design is finished.

At best with design for 2 unspecified vessels for 2006, it will take the better part of 3 years for construction to be completed and the first vessel ready for service.

Let there be action to commence construction in 2006 for new vessels committed in the 2003 Blue Book and we should not have to wait another 12 months for Budget 2007 for a decision to start construction