msice the news rm pen eat te & Around Town..............20 1B Bright Lights............24 @ Businesg......... Collins... nen A & Crossword................51 Day in Court. 14 Hh Fashion... noo B Food.................. Inside Stories. a Insights................. Mailbox. B N. Shore Alert... aTV Listings Wright. & Whitecap rides wave of success: 19 @ VSO teams up with Spirit of the West: 20 sports BB Rebels sweep A’s in doublje-header: 16 “i NHL partners: Who needs enemies?: 17 xin meen cam) ORR wR ees ee ee eet izzier . ‘Steak ¢ Seafood « Satad with tha | RLY $1 0.9 soupen © 983-3040 CHEN BREAST ENTREES OIE 6 Stra se enet) 2 ae Weather Thursday: Cloudy with showers, High 17°C, low 8°C. NEWS photo Mike Wakefield FISHERIES AND Oceans Minister Brian Tobin leaves Point Atkinson after touring the lighthouse and meeting loca! lightkeep- ers Don Graham and Gerry Watson. Lightkeepers are fighting a nation-wide destaffing policy in an effort to keep their jobs. Tobin visits WV lighthouse FISHERIES AND Oceans Minister Brian Tobin toured the Point Atkinson lighthouse in) West Vancouver on Tuesday on a fact-finding mission, but would not commit to a decision on the contentious issue of destaffing light- houses. By fan Nokie News Reporter He would also not be pinned down on when a decision will be made. “Some time in the next few weeks, if I've had a chance to consider al) of Uris, FU say something more about the subject.” said Tobin, “I've certainly come to no conclusions.” Under grey skies ut the West Vancouver lighthouse, Tobin stressed that ‘Tuesday's whirlwind tour of lighthouses and coast guard stations On Vancouver Istand and the mainland was simply an attempt to gather information, “The best thing P can do is get out in the field, and so that is all I'm doing.” Tobin said. The lighthouse destaffing issue dropped in Tobin's lap April 2, when authority for the coast guard changed from the ‘Transport Ministry to the Deparunent of Fisheries and Oceans. Trunsport: Minister Doug Young firmly pushed for destaffing as a cost-saving measure, although its money-saving benefits have been SMALE YET questioned by destaffing critics. Tobin said current destaffing plans . remain but > he's reviewing them and the lime frame for their implementation, “To the extent efficiencies cannot be demonstrated and that safety and ser- vice cannot — be demonstrated we'll come to a different conclusion.” Tobin said. “Pin here with an open mind.” The — destaffing program currently in piace will occur over the next three to four years, Tobin added. About 70 lighthouses remain staffed in Canada: 35 of them are in British Columbia. Two lightkeepers man the Point Atkinson lighthouse. Tobin became cun with lightkeeper Don Graham when he told Graham not to exagger- ate the problems with current lighthouse tech- nology. Much of the concern with destaffing light- houses focuses on failure of automated equip- ment. NEWS photo Mike Wakefield PRESS MEMBERS questioned Brian Tobin on the coast guard's destaffing policy at Point Atkinson Lighthouse. “You oversell your case and | discount what you are saying.” said Tobin to Graham. Graham replied that lightkeepers don’t have an argument with the technology, “but our experience has shown that you have to have someone to catch it when it falls.” Tobin defended coast guard bureaucrats, who have been given a rough ride by destaffing critics. He said notions that managers are eliminat- See WV keeper page 3 hi 156 Pdoanee eR A