Kerry McCluskey
Northern News Services

IQALUIT (Aug 03/98) - The board of directors for Nunavut Tunngavik Inc. (NTI) is scheduled to meet in Grise Fiord for the next two days.

Several items have been tabled for discussion, including Inuit employment and training, the turbot fishery, the hunter support program, firearm legislation and the Nunavut Trust.

The board will also discuss the possibility of extending the president and the vice-president's terms of office past their original date of March 31, 1999, to make the transition to the Nunavut government as smooth as possible.

The meeting is expected to wrap up on Wednesday evening.

Construction heyday

Nunavut Construction Corporation president Tagak Curley says that construction in eleven of Nunavut's communities is going full-speed ahead. He says that piles have been driven and are ready and waiting for workers to begin building and that the only thing holding up construction in any of the centres is the arrival of the sealift with the needed building supplies.

In Iqaluit, where the new legislature will be built, many workers are concentrating on developing the structure. "We're not preoccupied with April 1. We're preoccupied with daily events and we're sticking to a schedule," says Curley. "If working conditions and the workforce remain steady, we should have the building substantially completed or completed by that time."

Curley says the sealift is currently unloading in Pangnirtung and is due to arrive in Baker Lake this week. Construction in Cape Dorset, Arviat and Rankin Inlet has started but hamlets in the Kitikmeot, along with Igloolik and Pond Inlet, are still waiting for the barge to come in.

"We have earlier construction than last year," says Curley who adds that due to modified architectural designs, the structures should all be closed in by December allowing for construction to continue over the winter.

Returning officers

Nunavut's returning officers for the 19 electoral districts are expected to be officially named later this week. Once the announcement has been made, training for the officials will proceed later in the month and the enumeration of Nunavut residents will begin in October.