Editorial: Bad news and worse news for Shiprock

Monday, February 11, 2008  

"There's bad news, worse news and a small hope for some good news at the Shiprock Chapter House.

The bad news: A Navajo Nation review of the Shiprock Chapter's accounting books found nearly 85 percent of expenditures over a 21-month period were questionable.

Worse news: It really doesn't come as a surprise anymore.

There have been so many reported problems and missing funds associated with chapter houses and Navajo tribal government that the shock value just isn't there anymore.

The Navajo Office of the Auditor General reviewed a $71,000 sample of disbursements from 2005 to 2007, and found expenditures totaling $60,000 lacked approval or documentation. The office concluded that Shiprock cannot provide assurance that funds were expended for appropriate chapter-related activities.

The small hope of good news: We hope someday the chapter houses and the Navajo Nation government can stop pointing fingers and work together to improve these problems.

Integrity and trust has to be earned, and it is our fervent wish that these groups stop and realize that they have to put the people of the Navajo Nation first and do what is best for them."

Get the Story:
Editorial: Audit turns up more chapter problems (The Farmington Daily Times 2/11)

$rl Shiprock Chapter - http://shiprock.nndes.org
Navajo Nation - http://www.navajo.org