Sick and tired of NTI overspending

In your Oct. 29, 2004 issue, buried amongst the many stories on the NPC debacle, was a totally frustrating article called “NTI seeking $10 million dollar increase.”

The article itself was great, it was the message that frustrated me.

We have young children who are counting on Nunavut Trust to do their job right and to manage the federal transfer money properly so that there will be something left for them.

Time and time again, I shake my head at the financial waste that I see coming from NTI. Why isn’t anyone talking about it? Why is it only the GN that gets bashed about overspending and useless spending? Maybe it’s time that the beneficiaries opened their eyes and started taking a long hard look at themselves and their own organization.

When are people going to ask how much money NTI spends on unnecessary travel to accommodate their Qallunaat staff so these people can add on a “stop-over” and visit with their spouse and children who live down south.

Why not ask how much money NTI spends on keychains, pens, bags, business card holders, picnic sets, T-shirts, and other promotional items that I have never seen distributed or given away to the general public, but only worn and used by NTI staff themselves.

Why not ask how much money NTI spends on paying salaries to people who don’t show up for work? If you think that the sick-leave benefits at the GN are good, you should check out NTI’s policies. Not to mention the IQ days that seem to crop up monthly.

And why not asking how much money NTI spends on paying people to drive around in NTI vehicles — getting personal groceries, going to the airport, and so on.

And the same questions go for the regional Inuit associations. Only they are much worse and far more blatant.

Nunavut Trust — hang on to the money please. My children are counting on you.

Sick and Tired in Cambridge Bay

(Name withheld by request)
Cambridge Bay