HAY RIVER - A new chief and three-quarters of a council have been acclaimed at Hay River's West Point First Nation, which had been without elected leadership for three years.

The new chief is Abner Cayen, who was also acclaimed chief in a disputed election in March 2007.

When contacted by News/North, Cayen declined to comment on his acclamation.

The three new councillors are Gwen Cayen, Lucy Cayen and Shannon Buckley.

They were the only candidates when nominations closed on March 21 for an election that had been set for March 31.

In April 2007, the Department of Indian and Northern Affairs Canada (INAC) put the band under third-party management and dismissed the leadership.

The band had undergone years of political instability and financial difficulties before INAC stepped in.

INAC will have no role in filling the council vacancy, said Nicole Huppe, the department's manager of field services for the NWT.

The new council can make quorum and make decisions on the matter, she said. "It will be up to the current council to decide what the next step will be."

However, it is unclear how long third-party management will remain in place. "We're going to work with the council to develop a transition plan," said Huppe, adding such a transition can be complex and INAC will support the First Nation as it resumes control.

It is also unknown when the band's office building will be reopened. INAC boarded it up in late 2007 to protect it from the elements.

INAC placed the band, which has close to 80 members, under the third-party management of Yellowknife accounting firm MacKay LLP on April 5, 2007.Since then, band members developed and ratified a new election code.