NAM president announces abrupt resignation

Pangnirtung Mayor Sakiasie Sowdlooapik resigned as president of the Nunavut Association of Municipalities Dec. 3. (PHOTO COURTESY OF THE HAMLET OF PANGNIRTUNG)

The president of the the Nunavut Association of Municipalities has abruptly resigned his position as of Dec. 3.

Sakiasie Sowdlooapik, also the mayor of Pangnirtung, sat as president of the organization for the past 11 months only.

In his resignation letter, Sowdlooapik said he felt “privileged” to be part of the organization but found the work load and travel too much in addition to his duties as mayor.

“I now feel I must focus more of my attention to my position as mayor of the hamlet of Pangnirtung and in that capacity, I will continue my lobbying to move forward in representing my local residents to the best of the ability.”

But Sowdlooapik also suggested he may have left his position due to frustrations the organization has faced for some time.

Sowdlooapik encouraged the association to continue working on important issues such as gaining a say over how federally-transferred gas tax funds are set aside for municipal infrastructure.

The association, which represents Nunavut’s 25 communities, has also been reviewing its own insurance program and an update of its by-laws.

The latter would ensure a strong board to challenge the “over-involvement and interference of the Government of Nunavut’s Community and Government Services staff.”

“The Nunavut government should not be allowed to continue to interfere in NAM’s business and programs,” Sowdlooapik wrote is his resignation letter, dated Dec. 2. “Why will the GN not allow NAM to grow and prosper into the organization that it should be, but rather keep trying to tightly control NAM?”

Sowdlooapik declined a phone interview with Nunatsiaq News Dec. 5.

According to the association’s current by-laws, its vice-president Makabe Nartok, who is also mayor of Kugaaruk, will serve as acting president for the remainder of Sowdlooapik’s term.

The Nunavut Association of Municipalities is holding a special members meeting in Iqaluit this week.