The government is not only providing a poor ferry service to Bell Islanders, but is failing to notify authorities when the only link to the island is shut down or reduced, says the RCMP officer in charge of the Bell Island detachment.
“There’s a person lost in Trepassey,” Corp. Boyd Merrill said Friday. “I have three members here who want to assist and I can’t even plan on how to get them off the island. It’s ridiculous.”

He was referring to an elderly hunter reported missing in Mall Bay Friday. He was reportedly found later that day.

Merrill said he has the responsibility to assist on the Avalon Peninsula when manpower is needed elsewhere. He also has responsibility under the Criminal Code to get people from the island to court in a timely basis when incidents occur. But, he said, his operations are curtailed because of the inadequate ferry service.

“This issue has to be put to rest once and for all,” he said. “The biggest concern for everyone who lives here is whether or not there is going to be a ferry service and how much of a service … no one will make a commitment.”

Meanwhile, the government is having last-minute dredging of the harbour done on the Bell Island side of The Tickle because it isn’t sure if the swing vessel, the Nonia, can actually make it in. The Nonia is on its way to replace the Beaumont Hamel, which had electrical problems and is being sent to Fogo, to replace the Earl Windsor, which is going in for refit.

It’s another chapter in the saga of the Nonia, more infamously known as the Hull 100, a boondoggle of a used, rusted Estonian ferry bought by the Liberals that took several years and $11 million to bring up to Canadian standards before it finally set sail this year.

While dredging was taking place Friday, the Bell Island Ferry Users Committee said it suggested to government a month ago it had concerns about the Nonia being able to dock.

Committee chairman David Brazil said a letter was sent by the committee to the Department of Works and Transportation a month ago regarding dredging and concerns whether or not the Nonia can actually dock at the ramps on either side — Portugal Cove or Bell Island.

“It doesn’t seem like anybody did an engineering study on it. … It’s not rocket science,” he said.

Brazil has a second home on Bell Island. He said the ferry service was down Thursday by one vessel and is likely to be down until today or even the rest of the weekend.

Brazil also said no one at the department could tell the committee whether or not the ferry could be docked. He said they finally dredged in order to avoid the embarrassment of the vessel getting stuck offshore with a full load of passengers.

“This should have been dealt with,” Brazil said. “That’s our disappointment in this process.”

He said people and businesses will suffer because of poor planning.

Department spokeswoman Lori Lee Oates said officials are sure the vessel can dock at the ramps.

The dredging was needed to make sure it could sail into port, she said. She said an announcement will be made early next week in regards to vessel reconfiguration to accommodate the refit.

The committee also said it heard the Nonia broke down on the way to Bell Island, but Oates said it didn’t have a problem this week — the last was a generator issue fixed weeks ago.

Merrill, who’s in charge of a five-officer detachment, said no one was notified the Beaumont Hamel was coming off service as of Oct. 20. What’s more, he said in the 2 1/2 years since he’s been at the detachment, no one has ever notified him of any reductions or shutdowns in service.

People on the island, he said, found out about the change through the Beaumont Hamel crew getting layoff notices. He said the Department of Transportation isn’t acting responsibly when it comes to the service.

“There were no public notices … nothing but rumour mill and second-hand information. We’re not in the Middle Ages here … We’re not getting the service we should be getting in 2005. This is not 1965.

“Bell Island is considerably larger than it is in most people’s minds. It’s almost a borough of St. John’s. (The ferry service) is not good enough. It’s second-rate service.”

He said the island should have 24-hour coverage, seven days a week and three boats, rather than two.

If the Trans-Canada Highway or any other road is closed, RCMP would be notified and the ferry should be treated the same way, as it’s the only “road” in and out, Merrill said.

“I had no idea this was coming, only rumours,” he said.

“There are a number of policing issues at risk every time somebody closes our road.”

Brazil said he’s also concerned the Nonia doesn’t have the same capacity as the Beaumont Hamel.

The committee wants government to seek permission from transport authorities to increase the allowed passenger level to at least 100, as it’s nearing Christmas, there are many social events going on, and there’s also the regular commute of workers back and forth.

But Oates said the department isn’t anticipating a problem with capacity, particularly with the tourist season over with. The Beaumont Hamel carries 34 cars and 132 people and the Nonia, 24 cars and 120 people. But she said the Nonia was the most suitable vessel to replace it.

The committee is asking that the Earl Winsor refit be delayed to allow the problems with the Nonia to be worked out.

One onlooker said carloads were backed up at Portugal Cove Friday even before rush hour.

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