Across the tickle-long island

Across the tickle-long island - Health Care

There was a meet and greet held on July 7 at the Long Island Recreation Centre with the Primary Health Care team and nurse practitioner of the Green Bay Division of Central Health. Karen Lilly, public health nurse in charge of community development, Patricia Lawlor, primary health care facilitator for all of Green Bay, Georgina Keough, primary health care support co-coordinator and Nadine Roberts, nurse practitioner, all stationed at Springdale were present. They were also accompanied by two student licensed practical nurses (LPN) Cathy Matthews of Grand Falls-Windsor and Elaine Mercer of Badger. The group did their presentation on the new approach to health care within the region.

The residents in attendance learned that Primary Health Care includes all services in determining a person's health. It focuses on health promotion and the overall health of the individual as well as the traditional health care we are used to. The new approach also encourages individuals to ask questions of health care workers (eg. doctors) and take ownership of their own health.

One new health care initiative available to our residents, as a result of the Primary Health Care Team, is a wellness clinic held by public health Nurse Michelle Hollett at the Recreation Center the second Thursday of every month. Residents are issued a card and Michelle will record your blood pressure, blood sugar and more on a monthly basis. Eighteen residents attended the clinic this month. The next wellness clinic will be held August 14 and Ms. Hollett would like to inform residents that this is a drop-in clinic which lasts from 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. Everyone should take advantage of this valuable monthly checkup right here in your own community.

Nurse Practitioner

Nadine Roberts of Triton has been providing health care services in the Green Bay area since November 2007. This is a new position and Nadine, whose main office is at Springdale, also spends some time at the Triton clinic and some time at the Robert's Arm clinic. With summer hours varying, you may have to call for an appointment with Nadine at 673-3867. Nadine schedules 30 minute appointments, so you don't feel rushed. She is qualified to do such things as yearly appointments, order all blood work, re-order medications that has been prescribed by your doctor, give any regular shots (eg. B12 shots), refer patients to certain specialists and many other services. This is a valuable health care service and our residents may avail of her services when needed.

Transportation Threats

On July 3 Marine Transportation director Walter Pumphrey telephoned councillor Hayward Slade and informed him that he was directing our ferry, the Island Joiner, to leave Long Island and proceed to St. Brendan's in Bonavista Bay.

Mr. Pumphrey told me later that day that their plan was to take the ferry for about three weeks or until the MV Nonia was repaired. The last time the department took the Island Joiner away for a planned two weeks she was held in the dockyard in Harbour Grace for seven months. This announcement of Marine Transportation, Lewisporte, came on the heels of Minister Dianne Whalen's announcement that her government was not only declining to build a causeway, but was going to take away the ferry service that was put in place for our residents 25 years ago. This on the advise of the bureaucrats in the Department.

The residents of Long Island, as our history dictates, are a group of people who has shown extreme perseverance and patience with the government. But even the strongest has its breaking point, and as we told ADM Paul Alexander, this latest threatened 'kidnapping' of our ferry by the department was the straw that broke the camel's back. The ferry is our road. Just imagine how ludicrous it would be if the department telephoned Springdale Mayor Pollard and informed him that they would be closing the branch road from Springdale to the Trans Canada for three weeks. Case in point.

A public meeting was quickly called and the residents decided the only course of action was to prevent the Island Joiner from leaving Long Island to go to St. Brendan's. This was accomplished as protestors boarded the ferry and refused to leave. Marine Transportation then ordered the crew not to transport residents coming back home after their errands off the island. The Department of Transportation forced people to stay away from their homes and those people had to spend an uncomfortable night in their vehicles on Pilley's Island side while gazing across longingly at their home town; so near yet so far away.

Someone in the department used an emergency ambulance trip to seize the Island Joiner and tie her up on the Pilley's Island side. Then department officials called in the police and their chief negotiator used all his skills to try and intimidate the people of Long Island but was unsuccessful. Throughout the day negotiations were carried out between Long Island and the department, using the police as the middleman. The department's first offer was that they would move the Island Joiner to St. Brendan's and promised to give regular updates to us on any progress made on repairing the Nonia.

The second offer at 5:16 p.m on Friday evening, an offer that the protestors agreed to stated that;

"Provided Long Island agrees and discontinues their protest, the department would like to continue service with the Island Joiner to Long Island as soon as possible. This offer is conditional upon the protest stopping and agreeing to allow the Island Joiner to proceed to St. Brendan's tomorrow should the current repairs to the Nonia be unsuccessful. If the repairs to the Nonia are unsuccessful, the Island Joiner will be required to go to St. Brendan's for approximately three weeks until she can be relieved by the Sound of Islay."

This is the first time the Department of Transportation ever put anything in writing. On Saturday afternoon, after making a special effort, the Nonia was repaired and resumed her service to St. Brendan's. The Island Joiner and the Inch Arran also resumed normal service.

There are many bouquets to be thrown, especially to the residents who physically stayed in the tickle until the protest was over, some for as high as 20 hours straight. Also to those who gave verbal support but was unable to physically attend, your words of support and encouragement meant a lot. Then to people who are not residents who showed up, to Nancy Rideout for her very welcome gifts of food and drink, to the Causeway Express for supplying pizza and garlic fingers and to Salvation Army captains Brandi and Dwayne LeDrew for the water, pop and delivering the pizzas.

Congratulations to Mayor Perry Locke and residents of Little Bay Islands for their action on delaying the Inch Arran. Between us all we believe if we had not stood up for our rights the Department of Transportation and Minister Whalen would have had the Island Joiner gone for the remainder of the summer. Give yourselves a huge pat on the back!

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