The MHA for Lake Melville is urging patience and understanding as the Town of Happy Valley-Goose Bay grapples with an increase in criminal activity that has residents desperately looking for solutions.
A rally is scheduled for this evening outside the town council office involving residents who say they’re fed up with property damage and vandalism that is jeopardizing their sense of security.
The situation culminated this weekend with a fire at the Sand Bar in town.
Perry Trimper
MHA Perry Trimper says the issue is a long-standing and complex one and efforts are underway to establish emergency housing and treatment programs for people battling addictions.
He says they are ready to start with a treatment facility, but they need the support of the community and the local town council. “There’s many opinions as to what should, or shouldn’t go on in this facility. Of course there are folks who don’t want it at all, there’s folks who want to see it do different things,” but ultimately, he says they have to rely on front-line expertise “as to what needs to happen there.”
In the meantime, Trimper is echoing a plea from RCMP for people to report criminal activity when and where they see it.
