HERE AT NAVAJO GOVERNMENT DEVELOPMENT OFFICE IN WINDOW ROCK, ARIZ., WHERE NAVAJO GOVERNMENT DEVELOPMENT COMMISSION IS CONTINUING THEIR “INDIGENOUS NATION BUILDING: LEADERSHIP, GOVERNANCE, CONSTITUTION, AND DEVELOPMENT SUCCESS” SEMINAR BY DR. MANLEY BEGAYE JR.
I’ll ATTACH BEGAYE’S HANDOUTS WHEN THE COMMISSION TAKES A RECESS.
DR. MANLEY BEGAYE JR.
I gave you $500,000 and asked you to invest it in Mexico and you said no, because of drug cartels. I said go to Russia and you said too much political restraints. And so your concern which is good is that the investors and their investments are safe. So investors feel Navajo Nation unsafe because no president and some council members convicted of conspiracy.
There are 170 countries that are part of ISO and it’s successful because codes are clear, rules are all the same. So all of a sudden economy opens up to 170 countries. If it changes next week or next month, the investors balk.
Education/training/mentoring really impt.
Then they went on and created this. They got rid of debt first and when debt free, feel more confident and less stress. For me and wife, we have two mortgages and so we eat at home, cook at home. Having two mortgages really hard and hope to get buyer, then pay bills. So what thye did.
Transparency created discipline and accountability.
So corporate structure created accountability and businesses started knocking on door – mining, aerospace, fishing,
When they created successful in business, it created social services. They had laws for everything. Rules for no abandoned cars outside house. There would be fines. It’s called community policing. In cities where there are abandoned buildings and no lights, that is where gangs hang out.
They always look at who keeps house really well and they bless them. Or go by those that have too much stuff. Very similar to this. And now there are all kinds of blessing.
Went from 37 to 700, 75 million and 16 percent from Canada. Being ignored and political power house. Chief Christmas said that when he goes to city, they open to door. Reduced unemployment. They have 100 percent high school graduation rate. That is unheard of, even among bilagaana community. They have pretty high drop out rate. So how did they get kids to go to high school and graduate. Financial incentive? When kids saw how leaders were, they didn’t want to fail.
In Mimaq, they wanted children to learn language and so they made signs in own language.
STABILITY IN GOVERNMENT – rules don’t change and only change according to policies and rules.
If you have politicians running businesses, you are going to lose money. Politicians should be in charge of long term planning. Legislative B is to make laws. EB enforces law. JB interprets law. We did study of tribal businesses and none of those businesses making money. Only one making money and that business had no council oversight. The ones that run business have the job of making money. There should be free flow of communication between LB and businesses so that they have a plan to make money.
They invested in education. Countries throughout world invested in education. If not, then not go far. And in quality education. We know what it means to follow AIMS testing. It has been proven that our own kids, if they know who they are as Navajo. They say they are Navajo and you ask them to say something in Navajo and they can’t and they feel bad.
Remember at Twin Arrows, on menu, there was Navajo steak and Apache steak. One thing Navajo doesn’t do, or lot of tribes, so they have all these businesses set up. Navajo doesn’t have endowment in nearby universities. We have Dine’ College and NTU but kids go to UNM, NAU, ASU, other. Only tribe that has endowed chair is Oneida Tribe at Harvard Law School. That is the best way to have long term investment in education. So that way have someone in university in think tank capacity. You just call them up and they help you.
Right at ASU and UofA are losing money. State legislators are going to cut funding. So right now is best time to buy into universities.
NGD COMMISSIONER
When Navajo Nation Council/Central government appropriates funds to Local government/Chapter officials, we are told how and where to spend it.
BEGAYE
Back lash is colonial thinking. It’s a way to control you. It could also involve federal investigations.
WHAT ABOUT TREATIES/
Treaty is agreement between two sovereigns. Navajo doesn’t’ have one treaty. We signed with Spainards, Mexicans, U.S. And there were some treaties that got lost. I believe that they’re in the Congressional Library. But contents of treaty have very little to do with sovereignty. For US Treaty, there is teacher for every 30 students and never happened.
SELF RULE/ACCOUNTABILITY
Navajo has shared jurisdiction with sheriffs and more of that supports self rule.
WHERE YOU’RE TRYING TO GO
Constitution should lay out who is Navajo. Who are we? It has to be in there. Break down Constitution – To Consitute
