The provincial government is looking for a way to avoid controversial health cuts on Newfoundland's Northern Peninsula, says the new health minister.

"If there is a way that we can get some savings on capital expeditures, then we are willing to look at the issue of lab and X-ray services remaining," Jerome Kennedy said Thursday.

In August, the provincial government announced it would cut operating hours at the community clinic in Flower's Cove, on the Northern Peninsula, to 12 hours a day from 24, and eliminate laboratory and X-ray services.

If those cuts are made, Flower's Cove residents would have to drive about two hours to St. Anthony for those services.

On Oct. 1, Health Minister Paul Oram said the decision to cut clinic hours had been reversed.

Byelection upcoming

Oram resigned Wednesday from the provincial cabinet and Jerome Kennedy was sworn in as the province's new health minister. That evening, Kennedy and Premier Danny Williams flew to the Northern Peninsula to meet with community leaders there.

On Oct. 27, there will be a byelection to find a new MHA to represent the Straits-White Bay North district, which includes Flower's Cove, and replace former Conservative MHA Trevor Taylor, who resigned in September.

Provincial Liberal Opposition Leader Yvonne Jones accused Kennedy and Williams of travelling to the Northern Peninsula on Wednesday just to win votes.

"[It's] nothing more than an attempt to calm people during the next 19 days of the byelection in the Straits-White Bay North," said Jones in a news release Thursday.

"There were no guarantees made that the X-ray and lab services will stay and I believe more than ever that this government has a larger agenda of gutting rural health care in this province. Trying to fool people into complacency is disrespectful of their issues and certainly will do little for the long-term security of their health-care services."

Kennedy, however, said: "The premier told people in the area that we are willing to work with you. We're not trying to buy the byelection."

Hope for cuts reversal

People on the Northern Peninsula hope a plan to make health cuts in their area may be reversed.

"We'll be working with government, to take a look at if there can be any money, any financial savings, on the capital cost of the new facility that may allow them to leave the lab and X-ray in," said Anchor Point Mayor Gerry Gros.

"The only promise that was made was that they would work with us and we accepted that. We are prepared to work with them."

Anchor point is close to Flower's Cove.

Gros says Kennedy and the premier listened to their concerns and promised to work with them.