The fight to keep a men’s recovery home in Cape Breton open under its existing management appears to have failed.

The Minister of Community Services says the board of Talbot House has missed a deadline which would have delayed a tender for new management.

Denise Peterson-Rafuse said the board of directors promised to provide her with certain documents within a two-week timeframe after a meeting on June 11 – but didn’t deliver.

“There was plenty of time to have that information, and as I said I did not recieive it. It was a private conversation with the board and it was information that was very clear to the board members that I needed in a timely manner,” Peterson-Rafuse said following a cabinet meeting Thursday.

Talbot House closed in March following allegations against its former director, Rev. Paul Abbass. After a preliminary inquiry, police said there was no basis for a formal investigation.

A Community Services review concluded Talbot House hadn’t been operating in compliance with the standards set for recovery houses in 2008.

Peterson-Rafuse said it’s time to issue the RFP, find an organization which can run the centre and provide the services needed to the community.

“What’s most important is to get the recovery house up and running in Cape Breton and therefore that time was critical. I wanted that information within that week, or the following week and it was not sent,” she said.

Cape Breton blogger Parker Donham says the province has it out for Talbot House.

“I think this department is a law unto itself and I think nothing will solve that short of an independant inquiry into this business,” said Donham.

Peterson-Rafuse called the allegations “ridiculous” and said her department is focused on having a recovery centre available for the people of Cape Breton.