Fort Simpson (Mar 17/06) - Writing the Dehcho constitution in the South Slavey language is proving to be a difficult task.

Many delegates at last week's Dehcho leadership meeting in Fort Simpson agreed that more work needs to be done to ensure the constitution is written properly in Slavey.

Chief Roy Fabian of the Hay River Reserve is one of the leaders who isn't comfortable with the current translation.

Because the constitution has been written in English and translated to Slavey, it doesn't sound right, Fabian said.

The English version of the constitution doesn't translate into the way the Dene think, he said. Fabian advocated writing exactly what the elders say.

"If we want to make it stronger for us and our children, we have to do it the right way," he said.

"The elders have to be at the head of this."

Elder Pat Martel agreed that more attention needs to be paid to the lessons from elders.

"Wait for the elders. They should be the last to say," said Martel through a Slavey translator.

Talk surrounding the constitution took up almost a full day of the three-day meeting.

Ria Letcher, a member of the constitutional working group, acknowledged that more work has to go into the constitution.

The constitution is in "a very rough draft," said Letcher.

Translation work started in October after the delegates at last year's Dehcho Assembly in Kakisa ratified a resolution to draft the document in Slavey.

"Like anything huge, it's a slow start," said Letcher.

She said it's a balancing act to reconcile the development of a constitution - which is an English process - with the Slavey language.

In communities, information for the document was gathered in Slavey and elders recommendations have been incorporated where possible, said Letcher.

"We are always trying to get the intent of what people want," she said.

Chief Lloyd Chicot of Kakisa emphasized that the process of gathering information for the constitution has to be done thoroughly, even if it takes more time.

"It's a very big task we are looking at here," said Chicot.

A special assembly has been scheduled for the week of April 24 to look at the constitution.