Harbour Grace council gets update on Shree Hari Group

By Local Journalism initiative Reporter Olivia Bradbury

The Shree Hari Group, the new owners of the Terra Nova Shoes building in Harbour Grace, is telling Harbour Grace council that immigration issues are the reasons for the company being behind schedule in moving equipment and people from India to Newfoundland.

“Their equipment was finally released from India, from the Indian authorities,” councillor Lee Rogers told his colleagues at last month’s public council meeting. “They’re still having some issues with immigration, trying to get the people that they need to set up this equipment and one of the owners into the province. So that’s why people haven’t really been seeing much activity up there.”

The Shree Hari Group consists of a trio of companies: Shree Hari Nanotech, SwiftBuild InfraTech, and Harbour Grace AgriTech.

Mayor Terry Barnes suggested the Town contact provincial Minister of Labour Lloyd Parrott about the issue.

“I think a letter of support or something like that from the Town would definitely help,” said Rogers. “Or something like that, or a meeting with Mr. Parrott. I know they’ve had some meetings with different people in town and a couple of different government officials, but things seem to be going in the right direction now. But I think definitely a little poke from the Town would go a long ways.”

Rogers assured the Shree Hari Group is still planning to open its businesses in Harbour Grace, and said he would share any updates. Barnes suggested that council have a meeting with the Shree Hari Group, which Rogers said he would look into arranging.