Province defends C-NLOPB recommendation

TheNewfoundland and Labrador governmentis standing by its recommendation to appoint Elizabeth Matthews to the Canada-Newfoundlandand Labrador Offshore Petroleum Board.

Provincial Natural Resources Minister Shawn Skinner said the former director of communications for Danny Williams has the right skills for the job of vice-chair.

"Because of her communications background, her communications skill, she is able to take a message and put it forward in a way that would be understandable to people," said Skinner.

"So, we believe that those skill sets are the skills sets that the board could use."

Sources tell CBC News a second C-NLOPB vice-chair will be appointed soon.

They said David Wells will be recommended to the board by the federal government.

Wells, a consultant in resource sector, was named as a board member last year.

Wells was also chief of staff for former fisheries minister Loyola Hearn, and is a campaign organizer for the federal Conservative Party.