An early Christmas present

Christmas is still a few weeks away but the town of Harbour Breton received an early Christmas present last week.

Late last week Cooke Aquaculture announced they had signed a lease with the Barry Group to operate the Harbour Breton fish plant for one year.

It's welcome news for a town that had placed its hopes in the hands of Bill Barry over a year ago. The plant saw little operation during his time as owner. It's kind of ironic now to think his competitor in the purchase of the plant over one year ago is now going to be the one that will probably bring the most work to the operation.

Cooke Aquaculture and the Barry Group were in competition in the fall of 2006 to purchase the plant. After putting the option to the townspeople about who they would rather see take-over the plant, the council decided to pick Mr. Barry and his team.

Mr. Barry had great intentions and promised a bright future for the operation that had been idled for over two years pervious to his first appearance on the Harbour Breton stage. But he failed to deliver on his initial plans and had very little work available for the plant workers in the interim while he laid the groundwork for his aquaculture operations in the area. He also promised hundreds of jobs and failed to produce on this as well.

Around this time last year when Cooke Aquaculture made their bid for the Harbour Breton plant they indicated they would not be ready to process their fish until this time of this year. Now one year later after losing out to Mr. Barry, they are in the plant they initially bid for and are keeping true so far on their promise to provide approximately 120 jobs.

It makes one wonder if this may be the beginning of the end for the Barry Group chapter in Harbour Breton's history. Could this be the first step leading to the Barry Group leaving altogether and Cooke Aquaculture taking sole-ownership of the plant?