Iqaluit (Jun 12/06) - MLAs and Nunavut residents are split when it comes to how well the government is running the territory.

Regular MLAs were conducting a leadership review of the cabinet ministers and the premier last week as they prepared to resume sitting in the legislature.

Paul Okalik: Territory still has "a lot of business to cover."

During the first day of the three-day review, Rankin Inlet North MLA Tagak Curley criticized the cabinet ministers, saying Nunavut still struggles with high unemployment and a sense of disconnection from the government in Iqaluit.

"We can't run by money alone. There are other values," he said. "We can't only concentrate on economic development and business, we have to also concentrate on elders, women and children."

Curley also accused ministers of being aloof and difficult for regular members to communicate with.

Arviat MLA David Alagalak echoed Curley's concerns, saying hamlet councils badly need help from the government to provide municipal infrastructure and services.

"The government has to get closer to the community," Alagalak said. "We seem to be behind because of a lack of planning and vision."

Taloyoak resident David Igutsaq was also critical of the government.

"I don't see very much has been done or been helped since the Government of Nunavut came in a couple of years ago," he said.

Igutsaq said the government hasn't managed large animal hunts well, with government scientists closing off a polar bear hunt west of the hamlet a couple of years back. But local hunters have a better idea of what is happening on the land, he said.

"We know our country and we know our polar bears."

Premier Paul Okalik defended his cabinet, saying he's seen "encouraging signs" in Nunavut's economy and a "positive, business-friendly image."

He said Canada's newest territory still has "a lot of business to cover."

Okalik said the government has made headway bringing Inuit into the public service, with 48 per cent of government workers Inuit, up from 41 per cent when Nunavut was founded in 1999.

The premier also said high-ranked civil servants will be required to be fluent in Inuktitut by 2008.

"It was mandatory for us to learn English, so it's the other side of the table now," Okalik said.

The government also had its defenders among the regular MLAs and residents.

Iqaluit Centre MLA Hunter Tootoo defended cabinet's decision-making powers. "That's why we elected you guys as cabinet ministers to run the government."

He urged MLAs to "put aside egos, put aside personalities" and work together.

Rankin Inlet resident Noah Makayak said running a large territory with so few people must be hard work.

"I think they're doing a very good job," he said. "They're doing their best."