by Arthur Milnes
Northern News Services

FORT SIMPSON (Dec 12/97) - The general manager of Fort Simpson's Nahanni Inn says that Deh Cho Health and Social Services public administrator Nick Sibbeston is in a clear position of conflict of interest should GNWT health staff stay at the bed-and-breakfast establishment Sibbeston and his wife own.

Daniel Lapierre says a Yellowknife-Stanton Hospital pediatrician recently cancelled a reservation at his hotel in favor of accommodation at Sibbeston's Bannockland during a working stay in Fort Simpson earlier this month.

He thinks this is wrong.

"Now, if this isn't a conflict of interest I don't know what is," Lapierre said in a letter this week to local MLA Jim Antoine that he copied to the press. "We hope the situation will be rectified and conflict of interest guidelines strictly enforced."

However, the GNWT's director of financial and management services in the Department of Health and Social Services, Warren St. Germaine, says contract workers, like Sibbeston, do not have to sever their personal business interests when they take on government work. And, he said that GNWT workers are free to choose any commercial accommodation they like while on government work in the communities.

"You wouldn't expect him (Sibbeston) to forgo any ongoing business for a temporary contract," St. Germaine said.

Conflict guidelines say that GNWT workers come into conflict when they "unduly and for personal gain, exploit their acquaintance with other employees or with people with whom they have become acquainted in the course of their employment in the public service."

There is no evidence that Sibbeston had done anything that contravenes this policy.

In an interview, Sibbeston said that he owned Bannockland a full year before he assumed his position as public administrator for Deh Cho Health and Social Services.

"We had people from Stanton Hospital (stay at Bannockland) way, way before I became involved in this job," he said. "We didn't even know this person (before the stay)."

It costs $100 a night for a single room at Bannockland which includes breakfast and drives into town, Sibbeston said. At the Nahanni Inn, a room is $112 and also includes breakfast, Lapierre said.