Summerside mayor defends withholding full concert report
Summerside's decision not to release a full internal report looking into the failed Michael Jackson Tribute concert should not be considered unusual, says the city's mayor.
The city paid a California promoter $1.3-million for a concert that was supposed to take place in July 2010, but never happened.
Earlier this week, council released a summary report into the planning of the concert, which included recommendations from retired Col. Dennis Hopping, who was hired by the city to look into the matter.
But the city did not release Hopping's entire report.
Mayor Basil Stewart said it's not uncommon for internal reports to be kept private.
"Well, I think pretty well everybody knows, the money was sent down, the concert didn't take place, that's sort of the Reader's Digest version, there's not much that John Q. Public doesn't know anyway," said Stewart.
When asked by CBC News, why, if the public is aware of what took place, the city didn't release the full report, Stewart responded, "The decision was made unanimously by council. So there's nothing council is trying to hide or not trying to protect anybody."
For mobile device users:Should the City of Summerside have released the full report into the failed Michael Jackson tribute concert instead of a summary report?
