Liberal leader Gerry Reid and Gilbert Linstead discuss the many accomplishments of the Labrador Union Fishermen's Union Shrimp Company over the years at the company's annual meeting.

Shrimp company praised for reinvesting in plants, people 
( by Jocelyn Cormier, Northern Pen)

L' anse au Clair-The characteristic that sets the Labrador Fishermen's Union Shrimp Company apart from the private sector is its social conscience, says Gerry Reid.

The leader of the Newfoundland and Labrador Liberal Party, who was the guest speaker at the closing banquet of the shrimp company's bi- annual convention last week, described it as a tribute to the people in the room who are the owners of the company.

"It would have been quite easy for the company to close fish plants in the region, to consolidate and downsize if the company's interest was its bottom line or profits for the company or profits for shareholders," he noted.

Mr. Reid pointed out there were no millionaire shareholders sitting around the tables from various areas of North America.

"We have no individuals in this room who are making hundreds of thousands of dollars or mil- lions of dollars from the resources that go through the doors at the plants owned by the shrimp company," he stated.

"What you did with the money from that resource, you did what exactly I think you should have done with it. In the areas of your company where you were prosperous and made a profit, you took those profits and you reinvested in parts of your company that weren't making profits," Mr. Reid explained. "That's what a co-op does. That's what the shrimp company does."

Labrador MP Todd Russell, who also addressed the gathering, pointed out the saying that's been said many times and should be repeated.

"This company is your company. This company was built by the people of Labrador, It was a company that was built on the resource of the coast of Labrador. It was done with the help of friends along the way. They are a model, a model of what we can do when we work together," he said.

The Liberal MP said the board of directors carries a great responsibility in the face of an ever-changing fishery, which in itself is facing its own set of challenges.

"I know they will carry that burden well and represent the interests of the fishing industry of Labrador in the greatest way possible. As they steer the ship, they have one of the greatest crews, again, the people of Labrador. All of you deserve a round of applause for the role that you play to preserve the fine shape this company is in, continues to be and will be in the future."

Cartwright-L' Anse au Clair MHA Yvonne Jones agreed with those sentiments.

"I thank God every day that we have a company like the shrimp company that is owned and operated by people who care, who are committed and who are dedicated to Labrador communities and to the people first," she stated. "It is because of that when they face challenging times, they don't close up plants. They don't lay off workers. They don't shut down and walk away.

"Instead, they stay and they sweat out. They face the challenges. They deal with it head-on. They deal collectively with many, many people. I think they deserve a lot of credit for what they've done in this area. I can tell you without them, none of us would be sitting here having dinner."