Premier defends hiring for executive position at The Rooms without competition

Premier Dwight Ball doubled down today on the appointment of a well-connected Liberal staffer to a senior job at The Rooms.

• Patronage allegations mount as opposition slams no-competition hire at The Rooms

Last week, opposition critics challenged the hiring without any competition of Carla Foote for an executive-level position with an annual salary of $132,000.

Foote is a longtime Liberal staffer who was the top communications employee for the civil service, as well as the daughter of former federal and provincial cabinet minister Judy Foote.

During question period in the House of Assembly on Monday, PC Leader Ches Crosbie asked Ball if he stood by a statement he made in 2016 that "appointments should be merit-based, not political-based, not done with a political bias."

'Certainly qualified'

Ball echoed Tourism Minister Christopher Mitchelmore's defence of the hiring, sayingFoote is "certainly qualified" for the position and is just being moved from one position to another within government.

"This has been a decision that's been made for [a] new position for the executive director of marketing and development, a lateral move, no increase in pay."

Ball also said Crosbie's criticism of the appointment ispolitically motivated.

"I know, the leader of the Opposition, they want to play some politics with all of this. Completely understandable what they're doing here," said Ball,who campaigned on a promise to take politics out of political appointments.

"They know very well what the truth is about all of this."

Questions regarding RFP

Crosbiealso asked Mitchelmore, the minister responsible for The Rooms, why there was such urgency to fill the position whena request for proposals wasissued for marketing and social media work for the museum.

The minister responded that the Idea Factory, a St. John's marketing firm,was engaged in June on acontract worth less than $100,000 that expires in 2020. Mitchelmore said it's commonto have an executive overseeing contract work.

"It is not unusual to have an agency on record to be able to do your creative [work], and be able to do the work that's necessary, and have an executive level position to bring everything full circle," he said.

"This person is going to be the connector between government, all of core government, and The Rooms and the public."

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