Paul Lane questions continued employment of top Muskrat Falls execs at Nalcor

Independent MHA Paul Lane wants to know why many of the executives who have testified at the Muskrat Falls inquiry are still employed at Nalcor, given what has been revealed.

In question period at the House of Assembly on Wednesday, Lane said Siobhan Coady, the province's minister of natural resources, should exercise her powers to remove some of them from the Muskrat Falls project.

"Selective memories, no note-taking, missing documentation, lowballing of project cost estimates, withholding of risk reports,and complete mismanagement has been the ongoing theme of the Muskrat Falls inquiry," Lane said in the House.

Given that, said the Mount Pearl-Southlands MHA, it should be asked why are many of the same people who were involved in the project at senior levels still working at Nalcor.

In her response, Coady acknowledged the frustration many feel about what is coming out of the ongoing inquiry but defendedthe Liberal government's current work on completing Muskrat Falls.

"This governmentis very diligent and methodical in trying to get this project under control," she said.

Nalcor CEO Stan Marshall and the current board of directorsare experienced, Coady said, and the decisions about the members of the team tasked with completingMuskrat Falls under its current budget lie with Marshall.

Muskrat Falls is now close to 97 per cent complete, Coady said, and within the budget set in June 2017.

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