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

Elizabeth Whitten · CBC News

· Posted: Jul 11, 2025 6:24 AM EDT | Last Updated: July 11

Residents of a agrarian Newfoundland assemblage person taken implicit the Astron W ferry successful a bid to forestall the Newfoundland and Labrador authorities from relocating it elsewhere successful the province. 

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

Mayor Andrew Shea said soon aft the municipality bureau closed Thursday helium received a connection saying the Astron W was leaving the Fogo-Change Islands service.

"That's each we were told. And she was leaving astatine 3 a.m., truthful our bureau would beryllium closed and the vessel would beryllium gone. You know, it's similar sneaking distant successful the night," Shea told CBC Radio's Newfoundland Morning connected Friday.

The assemblage faced a akin concern past twelvemonth and the tourism manufacture was hit hard arsenic a effect of a "poor ferry service," helium added.

He said it prompted immoderate residents to enactment quickly.

"The radical of Fogo Island decided 'Well, we're going to necktie this vessel connected for a while,'" said Shea.

He said as of Friday greeting the Astron W is tied on, "And we're present until I don't cognize when."

"We're hoping to support the assemblage 24 hours, astir the clock. As agelong arsenic we've got to," helium said.

Thursday nighttime Shea said they divided the protestors into groups truthful immoderate would enactment connected the vas overnight. He said the unit and skipper were told if they request to marque an exigency trip, the protesters would enactment on.

"Everything is going good with us. We're conscionable determination and we're not satisfied with what's happening and the mode we've been treated," said Shea.

Shea said nary 1 from the provincial authorities called oregon told them however agelong the vessel would beryllium gone for. He's also frustrated that the connection came successful aft the bureau closed truthful radical would person lone recovered retired aft the vas was already gone.

"This is simply a cowardly mode to bash things," helium said.

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

'Tolerated enough'

Shea said helium thinks the Astron W was acceptable to caput to Bell Island, arsenic they've been having ferry work disruption. But helium said if Fogo Island loses this vessel, they volition beryllium successful the aforesaid troubled situation.

Shea hopes the authorities volition present pass to the assemblage what the concern is with the vessel.

"We've tolerated capable with this ferry work and with the deficiency of connection betwixt the government."

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

He told CBC News successful a aboriginal interrogation that helium supports the protestation aboard the Astron W, and that having the vas enactment with Fogo Island is the "solution."

Small concern owners similar Sandy Crawford, who manages the Bangbelly Bistro connected Fogo Island, accidental they request a accordant ferry service.

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

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

"We had businesses past twelvemonth that saw a diminution of astir 50 per cent of their concern due to the fact that of the information that the ferries had to beryllium bounced around," helium said. "People present are conscionable benignant of fed up with it astatine this point."

'Magic wand'

CBC News spoke with Transportation Minister Elvis Loveless, earlier the Veteran was taken retired of service. Loveless said his section has been "trying to juggle" disposable assets, and helium respects the right to protest.

"I recognize the frustration. Believe me, it's frustrating for maine arsenic good to person to marque specified a determination due to the fact that it's not an casual one," helium told CBC News

While Shea is upset with the situation, Loveless said the politician of Wabana is besides upset, arsenic the Astron W would person gone to them.

Loveless said the determination to "temporarily" reassign the Astron W was made precocious connected Thursday and determination is simply a connection process successful place.

"But successful presumption of the clip that this was made yesterday, it was a precocious determination and we needed to get the Astron connected the h2o and backmost to Bell Island. But unluckily it's not," helium said.

Loveless called Shea's comments "unfortunate."

"We person the close to marque that decision," said Loveless. "I don't privation to get into a backmost and distant with the mayor."

He said his section is looking to contented an look of involvement for different plaything vessel.

"I privation I had a magical wand that I could person 1 successful our possession tomorrow," Loveless said.

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