Maria Canton
Northern News Services

GJOA HAVEN (Sep 13/99) - Gjoa Haven is home to the first motor vehicles division headquarters in Nunavut.

The office has been up and running since the first week of September, a spinoff from recommendations from the Nunavut Implementation Commission for decentralizing government jobs.

"We have four people in the office already," said Dave Buchan, director of motor vehicles for Nunavut.

"The office is ready to go and the positions are in effect."

The office is expected to license between 2,000 and 3,000 drivers, says the deputy minister of Community Government, Housing and Transportation Michael Ferris.

"This is one of the critical offices we have to have up and running," says Ferris.

"We are linked to the GNWT database right now, but we'd like to have a free standing office by April 2000."

Ferris is hoping to issue Nunavut driver's licences in syllabics.

They will have a magnetic strip, similar to a credit card, containing the information in English.

"We are working towards changing the system to make it more reflective of Nunavut," said Ferris.

"We're trying to get everything set up so there is a smooth transition from the GNWT to Nunavut."

Contracts are in place to open satellite offices in other communities where people will be able to get their driver's application, picture taken and licence issued. Until then, restricted licences continue to be issued through the mail.

The idea behind decentralizing government jobs and headquarter locations is to eliminate the possible alienation of smaller communities by larger regional centres.