Bas-Caraquet shipyard money woes could take 2 more weeks to fix

The provincial government hopes to resolve money problems at a shipyard in northeast New Brunswick within the next two weeks.

Officials held what a spokesperson called "a good, productive meeting" on "the whole entire New Brunswick Naval Centre file" on Friday.

• Province hoping to fix Caraquet shipyard money problems
• Caraquet shipyard CEO promises to resolve unpaid bills

Three suppliers have filed liens against the centre, a shipyard in the village of Bas-Caraquet, over more than $1.5 million in unpaid bills.

I know it's a difficult situation for everybody.- Bruce Macfarlane, RDC

The province announced in the spring it would give the centre $4 million in infrastructure funding through the Regional Development Corporation.

Opportunities New Brunswick plans another $3.8 million in payroll rebates for a Quebec company that will have its ships repaired at the yard. That money will only flow when people are working.

RDC spokesperson Bruce Macfarlane saidthe province hopes the three suppliers will be paid what they're owed in the next two weeks.

"We've asked for their patience and we continue to ask for a bit of patience here. I know it's a difficult situation for everybody but we are working with our partners to review the entire matter and see solutions in a timely manner."

Macfarlane wouldn't explain why the suppliers haven't been paid yet. "There are certain conditions that have to be met and right now we can't get into the specifics."

Today's meeting was between RDC president Bill Levesque and the two municipal administrators from the town of Caraquet and the village of Bas-Caraquet.

The two municipalities incorporated the Naval Centre as a private corporation, meaning it doesn't have the same obligations as a municipality to make its financial accounts public.

The two mayors have refused to comment on the money problems since they were first revealed. Each municipality put $400,000 into the corporation.

The mayors and the Naval Centre CEO, Quebec consultant Michel Beaudry, were not at Friday's meeting.

"The president of RDC has the right to meet whoever he wants," Macfarlane said. "He is new to the file and he decided to meet the two municipal administrators."

Macfarlane refused to comment on the refusal by the two mayors to discuss the cash crunch.

"I can't speak for the two municipalities but we've agreed in two weeks to reconvene."

Beaudry did not respond to calls from CBC News Friday.