The Gwich’in Tribal Council has decided to delay its upcoming annual general assembly that was set to take place next week. The council cited the need for additional time to finalize certain financial documents as the reason for the postponement. Originally planned to commence in Fort McPherson on Wednesday, the meeting has been put on hold. Revised dates and instructions for participation will be communicated at a later time, as stated in a recent news release.
According to the release, the choice to postpone the assembly was made after careful deliberation, considering the significance of the business typically conducted at these gatherings. Notably, previous council meetings have also faced financial-related challenges. In a recent meeting, the council announced the unavailability of audited financial statements, a customary aspect of such assemblies. Delays in obtaining financial data from the Gwich’in Development Corporation (GDC), a subsidiary wholly owned by the tribal council, were pointed to as the primary cause of the situation, with references made to operational issues within the GDC hindering the completion of audited statements.