No go to Fogo: Island residents board ferry protesting 'cowardly' government decision

Residents of a rural Newfoundland community have taken over the Astron W ferry in a bid to prevent the Newfoundland and Labrador government from relocating it elsewhere in the province. 

The sole ferry in service, the MV Veteran, is coming out of service due to mechanical problems "until further notice" after it arrives in Port Farewell, according to the provincial website 511.

Mayor Andrew Shea said shortly after the town office closed Thursday he received a message saying the Astron W was leaving the Fogo-Change Islands service.

"That's all we were told. And she was leaving at 3 a.m., so our office would be closed and the boat would be gone. You know, it's like sneaking away in the night," Shea told CBC Radio's Newfoundland Morning on Friday.

The community faced a similar situation last year and the tourism industry was hit hard as a result of a "poor ferry service," he added.

He said it prompted some residents to act quickly.

"The people of Fogo Island decided 'Well, we're going to tie this boat on for a while,'" said Shea.

He said as of Friday morning the Astron W is tied on, "And we're here until I don't know when."

"We're hoping to maintain the crowd 24 hours, around the clock. As long as we've got to," he said.

Thursday night Shea said they divided the protestors into groups so some would stay on the vessel overnight. He said the crew and captain were told if they need to make an emergency trip, the protesters would stay on.

"Everything is going well with us. We're just there and we're not satisfied with what's happening and the way we've been treated," said Shea.

Shea said no one from the provincial government called or told them how long the boat would be gone for. He's also frustrated that the message came in after the office closed so people would have only found out after the vessel was already gone.

"This is a cowardly way to do things," he said.

CBC News has asked the Department of Transportation and Infrastructure for comment.

'Tolerated enough'

Shea said he thinks the Astron W was set to head to Bell Island, as they've been having ferry service disruption. But he said if Fogo Island loses this vessel, they will be in the same troubled situation.

Shea hopes the government will now communicate to the community what the situation is with the vessel.

"We've tolerated enough with this ferry service and with the lack of communication between the government."

PC MHA Jim McKenna, who represents Fogo Island, condemned the government's "complete breakdown in communication" with ferry users and community leaders in a statement released on Friday afternoon.

He told CBC News in a later interview that he supports the protest aboard the Astron W, and that having the vessel stay with Fogo Island is the "solution."

Small business owners like Sandy Crawford, who owns Bangbelly Bistro on Fogo Island, say they need a consistent ferry service.

"If this doesn't work out, it's going to be detrimental," Crawford said from the protest.

Jarrod Oglan of the Fogo Island Ferry Committee said that's becoming a problem.

"We had businesses last year that saw a decline of almost 50 per cent of their business because of the fact that the ferries had to be bounced around," he said. "People here are just kind of fed up with it at this point."

'Magic wand'

CBC News spoke with Transportation Minister Elvis Loveless, before the Veteran was taken out of service. Loveless said his department has been "trying to juggle" available assets, and he respects the right to protest.

"I understand the frustration. Believe me, it's frustrating for me as well to have to make such a decision because it's not an easy one," he told CBC News

While Shea is upset with the situation, Loveless said the mayor of Wabana is also upset, as the Astron W would have gone to them.

Loveless said the decision to "temporarily" reassign the Astron W was made late on Thursday and there is a communication process in place.

"But in terms of the time that this was made yesterday, it was a late decision and we needed to get the Astron on the water and back to Bell Island. But unfortunately it's not," he said.

Loveless called Shea's comments "unfortunate."

"We have the right to make that decision," said Loveless. "I don't want to get into a back and forth with the mayor."

He said his department is looking to issue an expression of interest for another swing vessel.

"I wish I had a magical wand that I could have one in our possession tomorrow," Loveless said.

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