Municipality of Kujalleq in unusually harsh criticism of the Self-Government

To understand the frustration in the southern municipality, we must turn back time to November 2024, when there were major challenges in the social area. This led to the Naalakkersuisut deciding to take over management and administration of the areas within children, youth and the disabled.

The explanation for the drastic step was explained by the then Naalakkersuisut for Children and Youth, Aqqaluaq B. Egede, in this way:

- The problems in the municipality are so great and so urgent that there is a need for an immediate handout to the municipality, so that the rights of citizens and compliance with the legislation are ensured.

Responsibility must be returned

That the Government of Greenland intervened in this way and stripped the Municipality of Kujalleq of a very important area of ​​responsibility, which constitutes approximately a third of the municipality's total economy, was explained by the fact that staff shortages in Nanortalik and Qaqortoq in particular had resulted in 857 open cases in the children and youth area, and 300 disability cases.

The Government of Greenland's decision was welcomed by the then mayor Stine Egede.

It has always been the intention that responsibility for the area should be returned to the municipality, but that process - or lack thereof - is now causing the Municipality of Kujalleq's municipal director Randi Vestergaard Evaldsen to go to the inkwell.

- Unacceptable handling of a suspended area - lack of management, documentation and respect for cooperation, is the complaint from the municipal director against the Self-Government.

Expectations not met

She points out that back in November 2024, there was a clear expectation that the Self-Government's intervention "would ensure overview, documentation and progress. This expectation has not been met, unfortunately".

- Since I took office as municipal director, the area has been given high priority. Kujalleq Municipality is in daily contact with both citizens and employees, and it is therefore very worrying to note that the handling by the Self-Government continues to be characterized by a lack of structure, lack of documentation and insufficient coordination, and has created insecurity and dissatisfaction among our citizens, writes the municipal director in a press release.

The municipal director accuses the Self-Government of not having a sufficient overview of the area, as the municipality runs into a wall when requesting materials, factual data and other necessary documentation.

- At the same time, we are experiencing undue pressure for a quick return, which gives the impression that the scope and complexity of the task is only now beginning to dawn on the Self-Government, states Randi Vestergaard Evaldsen.

Calls for a working group

She points out that there has been an agreement to establish a joint working group to ensure progress so that the municipality can regain control of the area. But nothing has happened. The municipal director explains that the working group is a central element in the whole matter in the following way:

- In the event of a prolonged suspension, the municipality has a statutory obligation to submit a proposal for an action plan for phasing out the suspension and returning management to the municipality. This cannot be initiated as the municipality does not have factual data about the area, the measures initiated, the progress in the process and last but not least current data.

- Therefore, it can be stated that in practice there is no functioning structure for handling an area that constitutes a significant part of the municipality's overall task portfolio.

Five demands

She warns against the municipality taking over the areas on a hasty and uninformed basis. Therefore, the Municipality of Kujalleq makes the following demands:

In conclusion, Randi Vestergaard Evaldsen sends this message to the Self-Government:

- We expect a significant improvement and real effort from the Self-Government – ​​immediately.

Silence

Sermitsiaq has tried to get a comment on the serious accusations from the Minister for Children, Youth and Families Nivi Olsen. A written inquiry from Monday to the department has still not been answered. Since the takeover in November 2024, when the Minister for Children, Youth and Families Aqqaluaq B. Egede stepped in to help the municipality, there has been an Inatsisart committee and the area of ​​responsibility now falls under Nivi Olsen.