Kakisa (July 06/01) - Every year when the population of Kakisa swells from about 30 to 300 for a few days, plenty of things have to be organized.

A lot of people are responsible for pulling off the Deh Cho Assembly, but Anita Chicot is the one with the co-ordinator's title.

Assembly co-ordinator Anita Chicot. - Dave Sullivan/NNSL photo

Her and council manager Ruby Landry are the ones who see that everything gets done on time.

This year a lot of things didn't come together until the last few days before the gathering of chiefs and elders.

"We're last-minute planners," she acknowledges.

Chicot also looks after Kakisa's finances.

With this being her second year organizing the event it didn't seem to be missing any pieces last week, the ninth such assembly.

"The arbour was the hardest part. it took less than two weeks to put it up."

She's talking about Kakisa's new showpiece, a building in which to host the lively political debates that take place at the assemblies. The new open-topped arbour, finished just a couple days before the gathering, replaces a smaller one.

Built for just $17,000, it drew many compliments from delegates.

Chicot tried to make sure there were enough sites for a tent city that accommodates visitors, but there is only so much room. This year more campers came than expected.

"They were overflowing in people's yards," she said.

Chicot estimates that 20 pounds of coffee grounds were brewed each day, and about 250 bottles of water consumed.