Jeff Colbourne
Northern News Services

NNSL (Jul 24/98) - The GNWT says its new economic strategy should not be affected by the conflict of interest inquiry into links between the premier and the man hired to develop the strategy.

Andrew Gamble, the secretary to cabinet, refused this week to speculate on any effect and said the fact the inquiry is about to begin is "highly irrelevant."

"My point is that a good proposal was submitted and we've accepted it," he said.

"The fact that the premier is under allegations and there's other people named, too, and implicated in those allegations -- should we then blacklist people and say you can't do work for us because somehow you're connected to an unsubstantiated, unproven allegation?" asked Gamble.

Roland Bailey, who was awarded the strategy contract, was named in the conflict of interest complaint laid by Hay River MLA Jane Groenewegen against Premier Don Morin this spring.

"Would you suggest we blackball Roland because he's been named? Shouldn't he be allowed to make a living? We shouldn't be able to use the best expertise we can get?" Gamble asked.

Details of Bailey's qualifications, however, are hard to come by. A request to Bailey's office was denied as of press time. The GNWT cabinet refused to supply details.

"He's not an elected official so we wouldn't keep anything like that," said Judy Langford, press secretary for the cabinet.

Langford said she's never heard of other governments anywhere handing out the CV of any of its contractors, but conceded she could be wrong.

Gamble said only that he's worked with Bailey in the past when Bailey was cabinet secretary.

The only other dealings he's had with Bailey is with the Aurora Fund, of which Bailey is the investment adviser and Gamble a director.

"Those are the only first-hand knowledge I have of him and I don't have any complaints about his performance," said Gamble.