The Opposition is concerned after learning that lawyer Bern Coffey and lawyer and former cabinet minister Jerome Kennedy were hired by the provincial government earlier this year to review the Churchill Falls MOU.

Kennedy served as minister of finance and minister of natural resources under Danny Williams, while lawyer (and former Liberal leadership candidate) Bern Coffey was an outspoken opponent of the Muskrat Falls project as part of Group 2041.

Premier Tony Wakeham says Kennedy and Coffey will review the committee’s report on the Churchill Falls MOU, delivered to government last week.

Liberal Leader John Hogan says it’s time for the premier to make his intentions on the MOU clear.

“So why is the government continuing to hire people who’ve already given their opinion on the MOU? Why doesn’t the Premier just say, ‘we’re not doing the MOU’. It’s very clear we’re having people tell us what they think and they don’t think i t is a good deal. Why are they wasting our time, our money, taxpayers’ money?”

Premier Wakeham says critics need to focus on the issue and not the people doing the review.

“The big mistake that people make is focusing on individuals and not on the issue. But in focusing on individuals, think about Mr. Kennedy’s reputation since he left politics. He is one of the most brilliant lawyers in the province of Newfoundland and Labrador,” he said.

“For us to be able to retain him along with Mr. Coffey, who is another brilliant lawyer, to be able to have them come in and help us make sure that the people of Newfoundland and Labrador, that as we move forward, we get the best deal possible for Newfoundland and Labrador. And I’m delighted to have both of them.”