Nunavut’s local governments are corrupt, incompetent

By NUNATSIAQ NEWS

It has come to the minds of so many frustrated Nunavummiut people that there is too much conflict of interest that is just being passed up, and our elected local governments are taking full advantage of it.

Conflict of interest guidelines aren’t being followed to the full extent that they should be followed, so many things aren’t being questioned by regional superintendents and are going unnoticed by our house in Iqaluit.

We northerners have always conducted our business in the open, not under the table, which is happening today in each hamlet and municipality. If conflict of interest guidelines were enforced, many of our elected bodies in various levels of government would be removed from the positions that they hold.

Corruption in government is out of control and must be stopped right away before we totally get back to Square One when land claims first started 30 years ago. We voters must take a clear hard look before we go to the polls in the next elections and think twice to see who is running. People who have held power in the past tend to keep their swollen thumbs on everything and everybody that they can trample on.

We had high hopes of running our own affairs locally, not by outsiders who never had the chance to laugh and cry with the people, furthermore people who have no knowledge of the community or how it should be governed go into office, never informing voters on what their intentions are.

Non-aboriginal people who get into office are quickly running into conflict of interest and start conducting business on behalf of themselves and their inner circle, totally leaving everyone else in the dark.

We had a private venture going when it was pulled out from underneath us non-aboriginal people, and it really hurt when local officials plotted to take it away from us. Let me tell you, it was 100 per cent locally-owned, not like most dummy corporations that have Inuit directors who are just being used by these companies who operate in Nunavut.

I know for a fact the conflict of interest commissioner would have his hands full a good 11 months of the year if all levels of government were investigated.

Nepotism must stop as well when it comes to handing out contracts and jobs, and the tendering process must be reformed so that all parties are given a fair chance for bidding. Incompetent people are running the show in most Nunavut communities, and people who are incompetent must be thrown out from the positions that they hold.

Our future is at stake and our younger generation will just follow the footsteps if nothing is done to stop corruption in government.

Name withheld by request
Coral Harbour

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