Hay River (June 23/03) - Jobs are on the top of Robert (Bobby Jr.) Cayen's priority list. He was elected chief of West Point First Nation in Hay River in a June 9 byelection.

Robert (Bobby Jr.) Cayen is the new chief of West Point First Nation. - Paul Bickford/NNSL photo

"I'm happy to be in the position of chief," says Cayen, who has been acting chief since April, when former chief Leon Thomas resigned over the level of pay.

Cayen, 25, first joined council last November. "So I'm still learning."

"Most of the people need work because a lot of them are unemployed."

The new chief also says he would like to see more help for some band members suffering from alcohol abuse.

And he would like young people to be taught traditional Dene values.

"A lot of our youth have lost that."

As for the continuing divisions in the small Hay River band, Cayen had no comment other than to say, "I think we need to bring the people together and be more cooperative so we can get more things done."

Recently, a group of band members, largely representing the Thomas family, wrote DIAND Minister Robert Nault asking that a separate band be established.

Cayen says he hasn't spoken to DIAND on the issue and needed more information before he comments.

Ken Thomas, one of the leaders of the move to create a separate band, says the election will make no difference.

"I don't think it will change anything," he says, adding the current band is in a cocoon of bureaucracy.

"Basically, one family put themselves back in again," Thomas says.

Cayen says all band members could have participated in the election. "Everybody had a chance to come and get nominated."

Out of the 38 registered voters within the WPFN traditional land use area, 14 voted in the election -- a turnout of 37 per cent. The new chief received 11 votes, while the only other candidate for chief, Courtney Cayen, received three.

Three councillors were also chosen by acclamation. The new council consists of Abner Cayen, James Cayen, Kenneth Cayen and Sonya Cayen.

Chief Cayen's term of office expires with the current council in the summer of 2005.