Northern Arizona University Professor Manley Begay held several work sessions on “Nation Building on the Navajo Nation” with the Commission on Navajo Government Reform and Office of Navajo Government Development in January and February 2015. On Feb. 26, Begay explained the “Keys to Success” for nation building to the commission and office staff in Window Rock, Ariz. Photo by Marley Shebala. (If re-using, please provide proper credit.)
The Commission on Navajo Government Reform and Office of Navajo Government Development is hosting five Navajo Nation Government Reform Listening Session and the first one is tomorrow, April 30, and it will start at 10 a.m. at the Pinon, Ariz., Chapter.
According to commission and office press release, which I received today, April 29, the listening sessions are to hear from Navajo citizens about how they see their government and whether their government needs to be changed or reformed, which means that an “open mike” is scheduled for each of the five listening sessions.
The other five listening sessions, which all begin at 10 a.m., are May 7 at the Shiprock, N.M., Chapter; May 14 at the Red Mesa, Utah, Chapter; May 18 at the Ganado, Ariz., Chapter, and May 19 at the Birdsprings, Ariz., Chapter.
Some of the government reform discussion items are the Executive Branch; the Legislative Branch; the Judicial Branch; Title 1 of the Navajo Nation Code Title, which is where the general provisions of laws are but more importantly, it’s where Dine’ Fundamental Law is recognized, Title 2 is the laws that established the Legislative Branch, the Executive Branch and the Judicial Branch, Title 26 is the Navajo Nation Local Governance Act; the impact of the Local Governance Act or LGA on local governments or chapters; regionalization or decentralization; the history of the Navajo government, and government reform concerns.
For information about the listening session, contact senior planner Raymond Tsosie at raymondtsosie@navajo-nsn.gov and 928-871-7339 or policy analyst Jamie Henio at jhenio@navajo-nsn.gov and 928-871-7340.
The Commission on Navajo Government Reform and the Office of Navajo Government Development also provided a copy of their second quarterly report to Navajo Nation Council, which was submitted to the Council during its 2015 Spring Session the week of April 20.
Click on the following Navajo laws to view those laws.
Title 1
Title 2
Title 26
And for your reading please and additional education on Navajo government report, here’s a copy of an excellent report by the Dine’ Policy Institute on the Navajo Nation Government Reform Project.
