Portsmouth Reacts to Possible Shipyard Closing

Justin Pantelakos of Portsmouth was born at Pease Air Force Base.

And he had pinned his hopes on the newly re-opened apprenticeship program at the Navy Yard.

(Panetlakos) :14

“I want to get in here, I actually want to work with the metals, work on the ships. It’s kind of been a dream of mine and the next thing I know, I’m hearing it’s shut down, or its going to be shut down.”

Now, Pantelakos, who is currently in testing for the program says he may have to continue his work as a cook in a local restaurant.

(Pantelakos) :10

“And I find this quite sad, I mean, the whole nation is talking about homeland defense, and pretty much we’re shutting down bases all over the place.”

For Portsmouth Mayor Evelyn Sirrell, getting the yard off the closure list is another battle she’s ready to fight.

She quotes another former Portsmouth resident,
Revolutionary War Naval Hero, John Paul Jones.

Sirrell says "we have not yet begun to fight."

(Sirrell) :18

“I mean its devastating for the workers, it’s devastating for the families, not knowing if their husbands are going to get laid off, not knowing how they’re going to make payments, rent payments on their homes, and even feed their children.”

Portsmouth businessman Tom Kennedy’s advertising agency handles clients in retail and service industries.

He says that the immediate impact of the yard’s closing would be similar to that at Pease Air Force Base when it shut down.

(Kennedy) :15

People’s first reaction is I’m not going to buy that new car, I’m not going to buy a house. I’m not going to go shopping. Of course, the more money that comes out of the local economy, it snowballs.”.

But he also predicts that the local economy will rebound, as it did at Pease.

Greater Portsmouth Chamber of Commerce President Dick Ingram says that the real question if the closure does take place is what a transition to private use might look like for the yard and its employees..

(Ingram) :17

“We’re talking about very highly skilled workers making excellent wages. The question will be less will they find new jobs, but will the jobs that they find give them the livelihood that they’re used to and use their skills.”

And Ingram points out that that the shipyard is a significant part of the diversity of the local economy, along with service businesses, retail, high tech and secondary education.

For NHPR News, this is Roger Wood