Towns rally against cuts Protesters hope message to government will be heeded DEANA STOKES SULLIVAN The Telegram

Maggie Chambers (left photo) spoke on behalf of Flower’s Cove Town Council, encouraging people to contact their MHAs to protest the changes to medical services. — Photo by Aaron Beswick/Transcontinental Media. Well-known resident and retired teacher Hector Pearce (right photo) addresses the rally on Thursday to save laboratory and X-ray services in Lewisporte. — Photo by Karen Wells/Transcontinental Media

An estimated 1,200 people turned out in Lewisporte Thursday and more than 100 gathered in Flower's Cove to protest the provincial government's planned cuts to laboratory and X-ray services in the two towns.

Lewisporte Mayor Bill Hooper called the turnout excellent, but not unexpected considering the anger people are feeling about an announcement Monday by Health Minister Paul Oram.

With the exception of blood collection, both towns are facing losing lab and X-ray services at a date to be announced later this fall.

Residents in the Flower's Cove area will have to access services in St. Anthony and those in Lewisporte will have to travel to Gander or Grand Falls-Windsor when the changes take effect.

"The issue has really got people upset and they want to do everything they can to get the decision reversed," Hooper said.

"We've got petitions out," he said, and next week town leaders will plan further strategies to fight government's decision.

Cluny Sheppard, owner and president of Notre Dame Agencies in Lewisporte closed his store there between 1:30 and 3 p.m. so his employees could attend the rally.

He estimates 40 to 50 people working at the store participated in the protest.

"The whole of Notre Dame Bay is in shock. For us to lose services like that, it's going backwards," Sheppard said.

"If I had to give my employees two days off for this, I would."

Sheppard said the area around Lewisporte is growing in population and there are many people who are growing older and need more medical care.

"It's frightening that we could lose our lab and X-ray services," he said.

Sheppard said a lot of people are pleased area MHA Wade Verge is supporting them on this issue. He's doing exactly what his leader does, taking a stand, he said, comparing him to Premier Danny Williams' passion over issues he views as being important.

But Liberal Leader Yvonne Jones, who also attended the rally, accused the Tory MHA for backtracking on comments that he would stand up for his constituents.

"Wade Verge, I listened to what he had to say today and, in my opinion, he acted like a snivelling coward," Jones said.

Jones said Verge told the crowd the area is getting money for a long-term care facility and suggested they should be happy with that.

Verge could not be reached for comment before deadline.

Jones also said it's her opinion that cuts to medical services in Lewisporte and Flower's Cove are just the beginning for rural Newfoundland.

At the Flower's Cove protest, Anchor Point Mayor Gerry Gros said people showed up from the southern most border to the northern most border of the region, including St. Anthony.

He described the mood as "anger and support for our fight to get this decision reversed."

Gros said a petition will be circulated and a small representative committee of community leaders has requested meetings with Health Minister Paul Oram, Transportation Minister Trevor Taylor, who's also the MHA for The Straits-White Bay North and St. Barbe MHA Wally Young.

"Three or four of us will meet with the ministers and put our positions on the table and our concerns and go from there," Gros said.

The mayor said participants in the Flower's Cove protest also included business people and their employees and seniors who are concerned about their own health care.

Gros said the Flower's Cove clinic bought its own machine for blood testing for people on the blood thinner Warfarin because in the past some tests conducted in St. Anthony produced inaccurate results. "If we lose that now, it could become a life-or-death situation," he said.

NDP Leader, Lorraine Michael said Thursday she supports the people of the Lewisporte and Flower's Cove regions who are protesting the cuts to lab and X-ray services.

"The residents in these areas are sending a strong message to the provincial government and especially to the Health Minister, Paul Oram, at the rally they are having today," said Michael.

"The message is that people are not going to accept losing the services they now enjoy. Neither do they accept the manner in which the cuts were announced."

Michael is also calling on the minister to update the people of Newfoundland and Labrador on the status of an ongoing review of laboratory services.

dss@thetelegram.com