Cuts threaten alcohol program

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Today, January 14, the funeral of a young man was held at Assumption. His death was due to alcohol.

On this same day, the band manager for the Dena Tha Administration, Fred Didzena, along with his co-ordinator, Bill Pelech, met with the National Native Alcohol and Abuse Program (NNADAP) representative to inquire why approximately $122,000 funded annually through this organization to the band, since 1981, is now being held back.

"Since we have been operating the alcohol program there has been a lack of flexibility on the part of NNADAP. We reached a crisis situation in November of 1986, and now they no longer issue us our monthly cash flow to operate the program," commented Didzena.

Didzena believes the stoppage of funding started when NNADAP began to identify areas of weaknesses their alcohol program had. One of the areas was the lack of reporting back to the NNADAP on how the money was being used and what sort of programs they operated.

"It seems that NNADAP is working to cut off funding because we are not provid-ing them with little reports. People are dying from alcohol abuse and they want a report? Do they see people as statistics or as human beings?" questioned Didzena.

Didzena says that it is difficult for him to accept people living in their rented towers that dictate to him what he should do to better his people's lives because "they hold the purse strings."

At the January meeting, Didzena requested $12,000 "at least" to work with. NNADAP promised them $25,000 by January 19, pending a financial report.

"They advance us the money and requesting our co-operation, but nothing has changed. They are totally avoiding the issue - which is flexibility."

"Maybe a neutral group could be looked at. This way we could do away with the fantasy of policy. The system just don't work," added Pelech.

The funding was cut off on January 6, at this particular meeting held at Assumption. It hurt Didzena to hear those words that in actuality were deciding the fate of people who needed help and support delivered by the alcohol program...his people.

"I almost told them to stick it. But then I thought of the person they were looking for, who died.

"If I had other resources to go to I could have turned to, I would be out of NNADAP yesterday, but because of a lack of organizations I can turn to..also the reason why I will kneel to these people and say...give me back my program.

"It hurts very much to do this but it hurts more to see our people die.

Richard Didzena was buried at Assumption on January 14, 1986. Fred Didzena is his cousin.