STEPHENVILLE LEADS LOBBY TO KEEP TELECENTRE ALIVE | BY FRANK GALE, THE WESTERN STAR | |
| STEPHENVILLE MAN HAS HIGH PRAISE FOR CENTRE | BY FRANK GALE, THE WESTERN STAR | |
| WHY DO AWAY WITH A SYSTEM THAT WORKS? | EDITORIAL, THE WESTERN STAR |
The telecentre is a project of the Strategic Rural Diversification Agreement.
It offers businesses an introduction to the Internet and provides information on marketing strategies.
At Thursday's regular meeting, Coun. Tom Rose said such an agency is set up for rural communities and he believes the local telecentre brought a lot of credibility to what they were doing.
"It's sad to see cutbacks there. The telecentre provided valuable technology for those who wanted to learn the Internet and get in touch with the rest of the world," he said.
Coun. Mike Finn said it's more than said "it's terrible".
He said government never consulted with the local Regional Economic Development Board about this. "There was no consultation whatsoever."
Deputy Mayor Scott Hurley suggested council show its disapproval and said it should demand a meeting with the Department of Rural Renewal.
He said the telecentre did wonderful work with helping both new and established entrepreneurs when it involved introducing them to the latest in technology and the information age.
He noted that it serve the entire area.
Mayor Cecil Stein said it's not like it's a big cost, as the centre only has a budget of about $110.000.
However, he believes that other communities should be involved in lobbying to keep the centre alive.
He suggested council fax the four largest towns in the area as well as the chamber of commerces for the Bay St. George and Port aux Basques areas.
And together they should request a meeting with Rural Renewal Minister Judy Foote.
Deputy Mayor Hurley said it's time to stand up and let government know that the area is not going to have anything else taken away without anything being said.
Mayor Stein said that maybe the town can partnership on this. He said the telecentre's services have to be here.
"It's time to draw the line in the sand and see where it's going," he said.
Coun. Tom O'Brien said the telecentre is responsible for a lot of one - two - and three-employee businesses starting up.
Mayor Stein agreed and said they have to flush it out and see exactly what government's intentions are with regards to cutting back or closing the telecentre.
He said as a student of the New Enterprise Store, a person who has been involved with small business, as well as a volunteer and community worker, the telecentre has been nothing but advantageous to him.
The telecentre is an outlet for research in whatever avenue you want to pursue.
It has the resources of hard material including books, videocassette and computer, including the Internet.
But the most important aspect is they have the people to guide you though whatever you need. Meade said.
This telecentre is a project of the Strategic Rural Diversification Agreement.
It offers businesses an introduction to the Internet and provides information on marketing strategies.
Meade said there ae other computer avenues in the community which don't come close to the telecentre as they don't have the professional staff to assist you.
Meade, who has been taking advantage of the telecentre services for more than a year, said it is user-friendly in that they help you along with what you're doing and it's cost efficient to utilize.
The telecentre is used by the whole Bay St. George area as a resource centre for small business. As well, clients from other centres in western Newfoundland also use the facility he said.
Meade feels that if the telecentre is hut down the whole rural community will be losing resource material as well as Internet access.
"We'll lose people who can aid future entrepreneurs. Once it's gone it can't be replaced with another centre. The telecentre has a good turnover of people who make use of it. As well, the statistics on the region are especially helpful to people planning on getting into business he said. Meade is calling on all local small businesspeople, users or clients of the telecentre to write their member of the House of Assembly and Judy Foote, Minister of Development and Rural Renewal.
"Tell them to listen, that we can't lose this resource for rural Newfoundland people," he said.
Why is it that when things are working well, government sometimes jumps in and puts the blocks on it?
A classic example is the tampering they are now doing with telecentres across the province.
While politicians haven't confirmed they are closing, it look like the telecentres are on their way
out.
The centres are relatively cheap to operate, with only 13 staff members in five telecentres across the province. In total, they had a budget of $1 million a year, which includes management and organization.
Development and Rural Renewal Minister Judy Foote is talking about setting up business services in the 20 regional economic development zones in the province. It's likely she is looking at computer setups in libraries and other public buildings.
But can the same services be offered in all locations?
Trained staff is important in assisting clients who avail of the services of the telecentres. They help people in a user friendly way gain new skills about the information economy.
It seems ironic that the telecentres which are a model for similar projects all across Canada are having the axe put to them in this province.
Government keeps telling people the world is at their fingertips through the information highway, yet one of the best delivery programs for helping people learn the Internet is being done away with.
One has to wonder if the province is spending money wisely when things like this take place.
The real message to government here is "don't fix it if it ain't broken".