Repulse Bay (Mar 24/03) - The community of Repulse Bay has radio and television programming again after being without it for nearly three months.

On Christmas Eve, the hamlet office burned to the ground, destroying the community's local radio and CBC television/radio broadcasting location.

Broadcasting resumed March 16 in co-operation with the Arctic Co-operatives cable company.

Repulse Bay senior administrative officer Brian McQuarrie said the wait was too long.

"It doesn't speak well of the CBC in terms of their mandate. They are responsible to provide radio service for every community in Canada."

While the service was down, the Arctic Co-operators Ltd. implemented a temporary service. However, there was no Northern programming available.

"We were out of the loop of what was going on in our own backyard," said McQuarrie.

"For the unilingual people it was horrible they had no access to the news. The Southern news only broadcasts in English."

When the hamlet office went up in smoke so did Repulse Bay's independent radio station.

That broadcast has not resumed but McQuarrie said it is only a matter of time.

The hamlet is just waiting to close a deal with Rankin Inlet. The community radio station there purchased some new equipment and Repulse Bay is buying the old.

Until the new hamlet office is built, expected to be this time next year, the station will broadcast from the arena.

New is the fact CBC and the community station will be on two different stations.

Before, the community radio station would override the CBC broadcast.