Iqaluit (Jun 12/06) - Finance minister David Simailak hasn't decided whether to bring his department's accountants back to Iqaluit.

Recentralizing accounting staff was the number one recommendation of federal Auditor General Sheila Fraser's report on the state of Nunavut's finances, released in February.

Simailak said the government would have to replace jobs in communities where accountants were pulled out.

He acknowledged the benefits of centralizing accounting staff, in part because it would allow experienced employees to mentor junior staff.

Under questioning from Quttiktuq MLA Levi Barnabas, Simailak refused to say when he would make his decision on recentralization.