NEW BROOM - LAUNCHES NEW RDA OPPORTUNITY
THREE CHEERS FOR THE NEW DEPUTY MINISTER.....
FINALLY SENSIBLE ACTIVITY, UNFILTERED BY FRANK ANDERSON AND HIS COHORTS AT SWSDA!
Ian Thompson the new Deputy Minister of the Department of Economic Development wrote to municipal members of SWSDA, Frank Anderson and Rod Rose on May 26, 2009 with an announcement about new rules for Provincial funding of RDAs. In his letter Mr. Thompson did what the Department has failed to do for twelve years.... terrific letter.... now lets see if municipal and provincial leaders do the right thing with it...
Municipal Councils have been secretive about the correspondence but in the last few days sources in Yarmouth, Halifax and Shelburne have become more forthcoming with copies.
Check out this site Saturday evening or Sunday morning for a copy of the letter and my blog on the issue
You may want to consider talking to your Councillor, Mayor or Warden about how to deal with this new opportunity.... and how folks here expect them to start doing the right thing by local taxpayers.
LETS GET THIS DISCUSSION INTO THE PUBLIC AND OUT OF BACKROOM SECRET MEETINGS!
8 comments:
New Broom? I think this is exactly the plan, change SWSDA's incorporation, make out its the new improved SWSDA and sweep everything in the past under the desk, and move on to exploit every possible loop hole, no not so fast. Audit Now!!!!
I agree with Anon 3:45 - we've been demanding an audit for years, and for DD to ignore our pleas is a slap in the face. At least McNeil and Huskilson promised an audit. There are too many of our taxdollar$ involved here to forgive and forget. For DD to say something to the effect that they weren't going to point any fingers after their government audit, I wouldn't be surprised that they will try to cover-up all that has gone on within SWSDA within the past 13+ years - surely not more of the same old...
Sterling, don't back away from your promise so early in the game. We expect a transparent and honest government during your next four years.
FRAUD should not go unpunished. If someone stole tax payer money, the RCMP should do their job. Just because no one else has done their job, that does not mean the RCMP should not do their job. I am waiting for the Ombudsman's report.
Ralph Surette's column this wkend leaves folks wondering if anything is going to be done to correct the wrongs committed by SWSDA's CEO and Board of Directors. With a bunch of neophytes entering the various departments you can see them being led by the all knowing Deputy Ministers. We want a clean house!!!
The RCMP.....The Ombudsman.........LOL....we can count on them.
I agree with you "1159"- they've had years to investigate SWSDA and did absolutely NOTHING! The letter to our reps, dated 26 May 09, is a beginning of a new era for Shelburne Co. Now is the time for our town and municipal leaders and citizens to work together for the good of the whole area.
A forensic audit is a necessity in order to answer the many questions that have arisen over the years; only then will our councils know what they are fighting. Hopefully, when the new RDA for Shelburne Co. is created, they will remember what caused the disestablishment of SWSDA - secrecy, and the total lack of checks and balances by the Board of Directors.
Thank you to Mr. Cayer, T. Gillespie, D. Huskilson, S. Belliveau and P.G. Comeau for attempting to correct matters years ago. It has been a frustration to them all and finally there appears to be a sign of resolution, but without an audit we will never know the whole story of SWSDA... - S. Fry
The 14 June 09 blog won't allow me to post a comment on the disestablishment of SWSDA so I will try here.Is this an attempt by ERD and its Deputy Minister to bury SWSDA and any incriminating evidence?This is not going to be easy with so many issues to be addressed concerning both Shelburne Park and
Shelburne Place.It seems SWSDA will be around longer than we had hoped.I hear Richie Rich isn't smiling as much these days - LOL! BTW has Frank passed in his resignation yet - Frank Magazine said he would if NS went Orange.Kudos to Shelburne County Today's T. Gillespie for his devotion to this matter over the years - without which many in the area would still be ignorant of the problems within SWSDA, which the local and provincial media conveniently ignored.
Thanks Ed! - The Optimistic Gang of Three
We think it will be either Shelburne County Development Agency (SCDA); or will be east and west, Lockeport and Shelburne Development Agency (LSDA), and Barrington and Clarks Harbour Development Agency (BCHDA). The past does not give much hope in their success - this area is noted for discord between municipalities. Maybe we should kill the whole RDA and rely on local governments to create their own development departments - they couldn't fail any worse than SWSDA did for the area and would be cheaper in the long run. Who was the Mastermind in creating SWSDA in the first place? How did they expect it to work without friction between this many communities all wanting a piece of the pie? Thirteen years of wasted time and money are all we have to show for it, and the end isn't here yet. Forensic audit please Premier-in-waiting Dexter! We are counting on you to clean this area of the province up once and for all.
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