Interesting that Premier Danny Williams spent a lot of time during his trip out west telling people about the oil, gas and hydro-electric projects under development in Newfoundland and Labrador.
Odd that people in this province wouldn't know what the heck he is talking about.
In Newfoundland and Labrador, the last poll showed the economy was the number one issue for people in the province.
62% of those polled disapproved of Danny's handling of the economy.
There's good reason for their view:
Hebron is dead.
Hibernia South is not completely dead but Carnell's is warming up the hearse as we speak.
Yes, the Lower Churchill is being studied but until Danny can come up with $9.0 billion, it remains exactly the same as the Frank Moores development 30 years ago: a promise.
There are no gas projects under development since there is no gas royalty regime. Government has been sitting on that for a decade, although there is a possibility Danny Williams will finally issue it sometime this year.
There is a liquid natural gas plant being studied for Placentia Bay but studies don't count. Ditto the oil refinery study.
Outside of the CVRD smelter/refinery for Voisey's Bay that CVRD wants to fast-track, there isn't anything in the development pipeline. Danny stopped it all.
So what is the Premier talking about?
Only he knows, apparently, like only he knows about this fish plant collapse thing he kept to himself.
Interestingly enough, Danny Williams talks about having an economy here in about 10 years.
That's interesting because Danny won't be around in 10 years. He'll be out of office in three, satisfied at progress and off to some new adventure. That is, if he isn't out by Easter frustrated at all the scandals and resignations in his administration. (That was the mood in early January, people; it could come back.)
Williams' "10 year" comment is interesting because three years ago he said it would take him two terms - eight years - to start producing results. Now with five years to run on that promise, he suddenly slides the time scale back to another decade from now. Danny Williams is always ready for a better tomorrow. Seems like the farther away tomorrow is, the better.
What's most interesting of all though, is that if Williams had been able to close the deal on Hebron, done his job on Hibernia South and produced the energy plan already - as other governments have done before him - we wouldn't be looking at a decade before people could think about maybe returning home.
Nope.
Things would be happening right now.
Instead, Danny Williams is still talking about how good things will be in his New Jerusalem.
Eventually.
