Fuel prices too high for hamlets
Kerry McCluskey
Northern News Services
Iqaluit (Jan 08/01) - Nunavut's hamlets will be able to keep the wolves from the door for another winter thanks to a one-time gift from the territorial government.
Hamlets will share $308,000 to help offset higher fuel prices.
Community Government and Transportation Minister Jack Anawak said Thursday said all of the territory's hamlets are eligible for the subsidy.
"We took the use of their fuel over the last three years, averaged it out and determined how to divide up that $308,000 amongst the 26 hamlets," said Anawak.
He said hamlets were the primary users of vehicles in most of the communities -- for services like water delivery, sewage, snow removal, road maintenance -- and that he empathized with their concern over the steadily rising prices.
"It was easy to understand they would be suffering as a result of the increase," said Anawak. "This will at least alleviate some of the difficulties they would encounter as a result of the fuel price increase."
While the increase was approved by the financial management board in December, Anawak said the government was almost ready to begin cutting cheques.
"We'll shortly be telling them the cheque is in the mail."
