The Hopedale Inuit Community Government has received funds from the Provincial Government through the Community Enhancement Program.

Kitora Abel is the Town Manager.

She says people who did not qualify for their Employment Insurance over the summer period will be hired under the program.

The plan is to start the work projects on November 28^th.

Abel says right now they’re looking into which people need the extra hours of employment.

She says the work projects will include repairing the walkway, dismantling the dangerous part of the fishermens wharf, and to build a floating dock at the main wharf.

She says the work on these projects will run for ten and half weeks.

Abel says the construction of  2 new homes and repair work on homes is near completion.

The Piguttuk Family Resource Center staff and Board Members met last Tuesday evening.

Rosina Brown is the Co-ordinator.

She says the main purpose of the meeting was to get information and ideas on how to write funding proposals.

Brown says Lisa Blackmore from Labrador City who is a Program Consultant facilitated the meeting.

Blackmore first met with the Resource Center staff to review the material and gave samples of different application forms.

Brown says the Board Members were given an overview on proposal writing.

Blackmore has been associated with Resource Centers for 5 years and her position as Consultant serves 6 Centers in Labrador and one in St. Anthony.

Another purpose of her visit was to see how the Center in Nain is operating and she was pleased with the work being done there.

The Department of Culture, Recreation and Tourism of Nunatsiavut Government is holding departmental meetings in Nain now.

Sheldon Baikie is Director of Youth/Elders and Recreation.

He says all staff and Directors of the three departments are holding information sessions for four days.

He says Torngasok Cultural Centre; Tourism Department and Youth/Elders and Recreation are all under the umbrella of Department of Culture/Recreation and Tourism.

Ben Ponniuk is Minister of this department.

While Christy Sheppard is Director for Tourism.

Baikie says the staff are gathered to give reports on what they are doing in their respective portfolios.

He adds they plan to have future meetings to discuss specific issues under their departments.

Because there is now an improved data base on Nunatsiavut beneficiaries, the Nunatsiavut ID cards should be available early in the new year.

Tony Andersen is First Minister for Nunatsiavut Government.

He says although they are still working on a national ID card with Inuit Tapiriit kantami, the regions are working on processing their own cards.

Andersen also says the whole Nunatsiavut Assembly will meet in Goose Bay next week.

The Assembly members will be briefed on uranium issues by experts in the field of uranium exploration and mining.

Andersen says the whole Assembly wants to know more uranium mining before Nunatsiavut Government starts working on a Uranium Policy.

The Nunatsiavut Government is also preparing consultation sessions with communities prior to developing a position on transportation issues. 

He says the Special Committee on Alcohol and Drug Hearings report still has to make presentations in Rigolet and Makkovik.