Letters: Airplane purchase ‘naive’

Thank you for allowing me this opportunity to comment on a very troubling matter that is causing many voters on the Diné Nation to question the honesty, trust and integrity of the newly elected tribal leaders.

I honestly believe there is a Breach of Oath being committed by the tribal council as well as the president/vice president in the early stages of their terms. It appears they don’t realize they serve at our pleasure and at our disposal at any given time.

First and foremost is the proposal to purchase some turbo jetliners for a hefty price tag of $20 million dollars and will be limited to use by the president/vice president and the tribal council members. The proposal is naive and confounding. The needs of the elected leaders appear to outweigh the needs of the people who elected them.

In less than a year in office, the new tribal leaders have become totally self-serving and greedy. It has become necessary to remind them they need to get out of reverse and shift into overdrive into the future. Otherwise, there will be a recall election of all tribal leader positions before the next tribal election.

I am curious about how much planning was put into the proposal. Does the current airport in Window Rock have the necessities to accommodate commercial jet planes? Is the nation planning to build an international airport soon? I personally think the nation is very shortsighted in making its decision.

The question that needs answers is, who will benefit from the proposal besides the president/vice president and tribal council members, or is it the newly appointed ambassador to travel the world? The appointment of a new ambassador raises some serious concerns and questions about the status of Miss Navajo, who is chosen by the people.

What can we do with $20 million dollars? We have veterans who been forgotten for way too long; we have children who have been denied tribal scholarships; and many of our people are still living in deplorable housing conditions. The $20 million is sufficient to build approximately 750 long lasting decent, safe and sanitized homes, which is more justifiable than the three turbo jetliners to benefit a few.

Many of us have not forgotten the controversy caused by the Navajo Supreme Court when they disqualified a high caliber young man who was in a commanding lead for the tribal presidency a year ago. For the high court to disqualify him was personal and without just cause. It created a total chaos on the Diné Nation.

The high court feared he was capable of cleaning house in the tribal government and violated every applicable law to keep him out. As a result, we have a new president/vice president and they should be fortunate to be where they are now sitting. Thank you.

Vern Charleston
Farmington, N.M.

Roads in Mariano Lake a problem for school

There is only one community school in this small community shared by the Smith Lake community and the Mariano Lake community.
Muddy bus routes are no friend to school buses and community members that have to travel to get to school and work on time. Fire trucks, ambulances, and law enforcement vehicles are also unable to travel on muddy dirt routes should it become necessary to travel on these unimproved roads. Informatively, there are many scattered homes immediately off these bus routes.

Mariano Lake Community School is the community school, which is a BIE elementary school from kindergarten to 6th grade, located approximately south of Crownpoint, N.M., and about west of Smith Lake, N.M.

It is the only school in the rural area situated between Smith Lake and Mariano Lake communities. When I entered the front double doors of the school, immediately I noticed the school’s vision statement posted visibly clear for everyone to grasp. There are no two ways about it. It clearly states “Partnership in Quality Education”. I was ushered to Beulah Lee.

After my short introduction of where I am from and why I am there, Ms. Lee, who is the transportation supervisor and one of the four bus drivers, was very glad to show me the three bus routes which the school uses during school days. The Mariano Lake loop is approximately five miles, the Pinedale route is about 14 miles and the Rocky Canyon route is about five miles.

Traveling on the Mariano Lake loop route, which is about a five-mile long dirt road, we saw the condition of the road brought by rainwater and snow.
Reaching only two miles into the route, we were forced to turn around because the truck, which is not a four-wheel truck, was not able to complete the four-mile route. At one area on the route, the truck almost slid off the road due to masses of rainwater and mud. With the truck swinging left and right, maneuvering to stay on the road was extremely difficult.
It would have become a greater problem if the truck suddenly slid into the wet drainage ditch on the side of the road.

Pinedale route, which extends roughly 14 miles and is located west of the school and behind the beautiful Timber Ridge Mountain, was even more difficult to drive on due to extensive rainwater puddles and damages of deep mud groves making it impassable.
Again we were forced to turn around and head back to the highway. In one area on the route, Ms. Lee mentioned that she was uncomfortable to drive on a narrow bridge to load children on the opposite side of the deep wash. She explained that she stops the bus before the narrow bridge (that leads to Midget Mesa) and children must walk across the bridge to get on the bus.

“This morning only four children got on the bus at that site,” said Ms. Lee. “I’d like to have all bus routes paved, so children can get to school during adverse weather conditions.”

On a normal good clear day, all 46 students ride the bus, but this morning only four students rode the bus. While looking at me, Ms. Lee explains, “Pinedale route is a Navajo Nation road.”

Before returning to the school, we stop at the Rocky Canyon route, which is about five miles, but the dirt road leads to Crownpoint. When this bus route gets muddy like this morning, the bus does not enter the route. We were only able to see the bus route from the highway.
Ms. Lee is correct; the bus routes need to be paved. Education is a paramount issue and it should remain as such.

Albert Deschine
Public Information Officer
Department of Diné Education
Window Rock, Ariz.