I didn't have a clue how to read and write ...

When I started off I felt bad because I found the work hard to understand. At times I felt like giving it all up because sometimes I felt very discouraged. When I used to get some of my work wrong I used to feel like I couldn't do anything. That's when I would feel discouraged. I also felt embarrassed when I couldn't pronounce the words.

When I took my first quiz I felt both good and nervous at the same time. Even though I had some of my quiz wrong, I also had some of my quiz right and that made me feel very good. Then I knew I was learning something.

Then I started Laubach books. I did the first three books. After each book (my teacher) gave me a quiz. I could see myself improving and I felt proud.

While I was in Stephenville I was doing a course called Cognitive Skills. The instructor said that I was doing fine work in my course. She said that if everybody put the effort into the course like I did, it would be perfect. I wanted to learn about Cognitive Skills. I got 56% in the course.

The instructor asked me what I was going to do when I finished the course. I wanted to take a course at the College of the North Atlantic....

Rodney completed the General Vocational Preparation course in June, 1998. He wanted to take ABE courses. He had grade four but he needed grade seven to take ABE Level II courses. Today Rodney is keeping to his goal.

... I am in school to get my grade twelve... I am doing good in school. I am working on the Challenger Reading Series. I finished one book. I have started fractions in Math. I am doing a lot of reading and writing. Today I thank God I can read and write and do some other things. I can use the computer today and I couldn't do it before.

Being able to read and write has changed my life. My goal is to do a cooking course.

Congratulations, Rodney. You are really making progress!

Food Fishery

The Federal Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO) set a three day Newfoundland food fishery for the last weekend in August. High winds cancelled it on Sunday. DFO allowed fishing one more day, September 19. Most people who took part got their quotas. The quota was 10 fish per person and a maximum of 50 per boat each day.

"Generally the food fishery was successful. The problem is restricting it to a particular three days. This has got to change," said provincial fisheries minister John Efford. "It is wrong, it's dangerous, and not enjoyable," he said.

He says this can be changed in two ways. One way is to give Newfoundland the same rules as other parts of Atlantic Canada, who had over two months for a food fishery. Another way is to have a program by which a person gets a licence and, for example, 50 tags. The tags would be used any time during the open season.

Others say the food fishery should be open when the times are right. Fish run at different times in different areas of the province. Winston Hughes took part in the food fishery on the Northern Peninsula.

"The food fishery should be open according to when the fish are there. It is no good any other way," he said.

Mr. Efford said he enjoys fishing for personal use but, "The way it is being done now is not working."

Do you have any suggestions for Mr. Efford?