For immediate release
6 January 2021
What is Being Hidden in Province’s P3 Contracts?: Coffin
NDP Leader Alison Coffin was left with more questions than answers after dissecting the details of the costs and financing of P3 contracts in the province. This infrastructure is critical to develop. Projects of this magnitude however, should not be clouded in secrecy and riddled with inconsistent reporting of costs and GDP impacts. With the recent announcement of awarding another P3 contract for the building of the province’s new mental health facility, Coffin has concerns about transparency surrounding the cost of these contracts that were recommended by P3 consultants. These consultants have costed $5.1 Million dollar with vast majority of all payments being made to a single consultant.
“It is important to see investment in critical areas around our province. My concern rests with the public not being fully informed about the decisions. Why the secrecy? What are they trying to hide?” said Coffin. “I worry that Government has chosen to take the advice of investors, financiers and project managers who stand to profit from this form of government outsourcing.”
In a letter to Minister Bragg, Coffin asks 24 questions that need to be answered. Reports of the project are muddled by contradictory statements from the parties involved. Coffin worries that decisions are being made to benefit financiers and corporations based outside of the province, rather than the people of Newfoundland and Labrador. Coffin has concerns that government spending is being hidden by budgets being spent by official agents for the P3 contracts, and not government itself.
“Our first responsibility is to the citizens that elected us, not the corporations profiting from government contracts,” said Coffin. “We have repeatedly asked Government to be more transparent with the details surrounding these types of projects, and consistently they refused.”
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For further information, contact Eddy St. Coeur, Director of Communications, NDP Caucus at 729-2137 (o), or eddystcoeur@gov.nl.ca