Holyrood councillor wants meeting with RCMP

By Mark Squibb

The Town of Holyrood has requested a face-to-face meeting with Minister of Justice Bernard Davis and RCMP Assistant Commissioner Patrick Cahill to discuss public safety and policing in the community.
“There are a lot of things going on in the world today that’s making things far more worse than probably what it was last year,” contended councillor Bruce King during council’s March public meeting. “One of the things that the assistant RCMP commissioner said at a meeting in Gander was that crime is on the increase, and the biggest driver of crime here in Newfoundland and Labrador is drugs.”
King speculated the higher cost of living may also be driving up crime rates.
“You go into the grocery store and what was $2 last week is $4 this week,” said King. “If you had to go out and buy a steak now, you’re going to have to put your house up as collateral. And with what’s happening now south of the border, and the tariffs and such, it’s only going to make things even more expensive. And of course, people in desperate times do desperate things. So, we’re looking forward to sitting down with the minister and the assistant commissioner and talking about that.”
King is also hopeful the Town will be able to meet with transportation officials to discuss the condition of Route 60, the main thoroughfare through Holyrood.
“Route 60 is awful,” said King. “I guess that’s the best word for it.”
Only last week, down on Duff’s Road, within a space of a couple of hours, there were seven different vehicles that had extensive damage done, whether it be rims, or tires, so that’s thousands of dollars.”
As Route 60 is owned and maintained by the provincial government, the Town of Holyrood is forbidden from filling so much as a single pothole. King suggested the Town try should try to work out some sort of deal with the government to allow its staff to address issues as they arise, as has been done in the past.