Darrell Greer
Northern News Services

REPULSE BAY (Apr 28/99) - Repulse Bay Mayor Donat Milortok knows it's going to take awhile for Nunavut hamlets to start seeing the benefit of having their own government and cautions his community not to expect miracles overnight.

Milortok says he expects the bureaucratic process to be slow for the first year, but answers for his community's problems to start coming by the second year of the new government's tenure.

"Everyone was happy about Nunavut, but it's going to be a little bit slow for a year or so while the government gets set up and things," says Milortok.

"As for our hamlet, we feel we have to wait for the government to decide where the money is going to go.

"We have to see the results of the four- or five-year capital plan we're expecting from the government before we know how much money we'll get for the hamlet. For now, we'll try to keep up the work like before. We have to think very carefully about what our priorities are. It's going to be a hard time for this year, but, hopefully, it will be OK by the year 2000."

Milortok identified the areas of water and garbage disposal as the two main concerns of Repulse Bay right now. He says the hamlet also wants a better community hall so it can offer its ever-increasing population more activities.

"Right now, our water lake is too far from town. When it gets stormy in the winter, it is very difficult to get up there and get water for everyone. We have more homes every year to get water for. Maybe we need to look at a pipeline or a ditch like Coral Harbour or Arviat have. We have to look at the cheapest way and ask if people don't mind if we go with a ditch.

"Our garbage problem is just the opposite, our dump is too close to town. When the wind changes and blows from the west, the smoke from the dump drifts into town and people are worried they might get sick."

The community recently held the Kivalliq Cup Old-timers tournament and Milortok said people in his town get very happy when visitors from other hamlets come to Repulse Bay for special events.

"It's too bad we didn't win the Cup this year, but there will be other years for us. We had good crowds at the games and the event brought in some extra money for the community. I was really happy almost all the Kivalliq Region came here for the Cup.

"I would like to see a Nunavut Cup started with teams from all over Nunavut competing for the championship. Maybe someday soon Repulse will host that."