The general manager of the Jericho Sailing Centre is wondering why the Fisheries minister bother to meet with stakeholders at all.
Mike Cotter says not one of the stakeholders who met with Keith Ashfield were supportive of the closing of Kits Coast Guard base.
He even says they left the meeting feeling optmistic the minister took their concerns seriously.
“And I thought he listened intently and was quite interested in hearing from all sides.”
He says the Minister even indicated he would get back to stakeholders on the issue but after hearing the minister tell media after the meeting the decision to close Kits base will stand caught Cotter off guard.
“We sort of felt after the meeting that maybe the door was open for him to revisit and reconsider and change the decision but of course if he announces on the radio within an hour of the close of the meeting that no he is going to stand by his decision then our meeting was for nothing and I guess it was just housekeeping on his part.”
Cotter says every single stakeholder in the meeting told the minister the decision puts lives at risk.
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