Page 27 - NOVAGOLD_2016_AnnualReport

I look to Donlin Gold to rejuvenate the area, and I think it will. In fact, I think the majority of the people would like to see it happen. It’s because of the lack of work. There are no jobs; there’s nothing. And since Donlin Gold’s been here, I’ve seen the standard of living go up for people. Yes, there are always those who go against progress or
a big development like this. Yes, there are risks. But there’s risk every morning you wake up.
Donlin Gold was the rst to keep its word. They were the very rst organization, any kind of anything that came out there, that kept their word to hire locally. Most of our native villages are so small, so when we say local hire, we mean the entire Calista region. And they kept their word to us.
Thomas
Around here, people mostly live on dried sh they got in the summer, unless they were lucky enough to get a moose – then they’d have a little bit of fresh meat once in a while. The rest comes from food stamps. As much as it would be good to live like we did a long time ago, we can’t. We couldn’t even when I was a kid. You have to be able to buy food.
PAST TRIBAL ADMINISTRATOR
CROOKED CREEK TRADITIONAL COUNCIL CROOKED CREEK, ALASKA
25
Evelyn