by Jeff Colbourne
Northern News Services

CAMBRIDGE BAY (Oct 27/97) - The sale of one government housing unit in Cambridge Bay has stirred the attention of the Kitikmeot Health Board.

For many years the house has been used as a doctor's residence and the board likes it that way.

"It's a legitimate concern and a continued concern," said board chair Sharon Ehaloak.

The concern was first documented back in June when Ehaloak sent a letter to the department responsible for the sale of government housing.

The Financial Management Board Secretariat however has failed to respond since, she said. Ehaloak said she does not think FMBS is deliberately avoiding her but suspected some mix-up in the fax transmission.

The chair would also like to know how her June 2 letter ended up at xxxNews/North and not on the desk of Fred Chambers, an adviser with FMBS.

When contacted last week Chambers said he only got his hands on the original letter within the last little while, not four months ago.

"The house hasn't been offered for sale to anyone yet," said Chambers, amused at the fact that the fax got lost in transmission. "We'll meet the requirements of the Health Board first."

Chambers was surprised by the interest in that particular housing unit as well, since it was only appraised at $50,000.

To alleviate any further concerns over the government house, Chambers said he will talk with board and come to some understanding and perhaps give the board first dibs to buy. "We won't be hanging a For Sale sign on it tomorrow," said Chambers.

To the board, the house is a serious issue, though. Since last January, Cambridge Bay residents have not had a doctor in their community, and the loss of a physician's residence could make it harder to get one.

"There are two individuals who will possibly be coming up soon," said Ehaloak, chair of the health board.

Over the past year, the nursing centre has had temporary substitute and rotating doctors from Stanton Regional Hospital in Yellowknife.

In the near future all new doctors will be operating out of a hospital being planned for Cambridge Bay, a facility recommended under the GNWT-commissioned Med-Emerge Report.

The Kitikmeot Inuit Association will be building the hospital and the board will be leasing it from them.