Bawinanga Aboriginal Corporation

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YE' YA CDEP
leadership of local Aboriginal man, Don Wilton
Despite a period of rapid turnover of the administrative coordinator's position, CDEP has remained functional under the leadership of Don Wilton, the operational coordinator.

The crews have continued to perform their usual jobs such as the removal of garbage, general landscaping duties and the maintenance of the sports oval. Cyclone Monica brought many new tasks when it ripped through the community bringing down trees and creating chaos. "It would have been impossible without the help of the Ye' Ya Fencing Crew". These were the comments of Garry Scapin, Maningrida Welfare Recovery Coordinator, after the men had worked tirelessly over a number of days to deliver blankets and mattresses to Maningrida families.

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The small business enterprises established to create local jobs are continuing. The mud brick factory which has been operating for many years is now looking for new customers. It supplied the bricks for BAC's building projects but with little new BAC work planned, it needs to find other markets.

The fencing crew was busy during the year fulfilling Maningrida contracts such as the security fence for the town hall. Cyclone Monica ensured that this work will be ongoing for some time yet with contracts from the Health Board and Council. They are also hopeful of securing the contract to fence the airport on Elcho Island. Cyclone Monica has also provided CDEP with lots of tree felling and tree removal work. Training has ensured that there is now a group of men who have the qualifications necessary to fell large trees and operate the elevating work platform (EWP).

Bernie continues to be the mainstay of the tyre repair service operated by CDEP. This is an essential community service which can easily and profitably be run by the men.

Some CDEP participants work in the mechanical workshop which services the trucks and machinery used by the different Ye' Ya crews. Overall some 55 CDEP men are employed in this section of the organisation earning over $200,000 in top-ups. Finding sufficient meaningful work for all these men and contracting out their services to decrease dependence on CDEP remains the constant challenge.