Our ancestors planned well in advance to ensure their survival. Their legacy closely tied seasonal planting, hunting, and harvesting the provisions needed for the times when game and plant life would be difficult to obtain. Likewise, it is appropriate to take stock in the manner in which we provide for the domestic perpertuity of the Nation.

To coincide with this line of thought, the Office of the President has an initiative underway to provide the Nation with a Ten Year Plan. This plan shall provide a long term, strategic, and comprehensive perspective of the level of services to be provided by the Nation along with a realistic set of goals to work toward. In the next issue of the Hocak Worak, an overview of the Ten Year Plan Project will be published along with an update of the events to date.

The importance of such a plan is obvious. From my position, it will provide a clear roadmap of the tactical planning that can then take place for the next twenty-three (23) months of this administration. More importantly it will provide greater direction by which departments, businesses, and agencies of the Nation can plan and budget for each year to work towards the goals set forth in the plan.

Without going into great detail about the plan at this point, what you, the people need to know about the plan is that it is based upon the premise that the administration does NOT want to dictate what should be in the plan. The project is funded and operates under a steering committee made up of ten (10) representatives from the respective areas and another seven (7) appointees.

The project is targeted to be completed by the end of the year, so we are on a very aggressive timeline. This plan will set a vision for our Nation's future. Planning is the determination of: "Where we are," "Where we want to go," and "How are we going to get there." Strategic planning will set in motion our vision for where we want to go.

It is my personal hope that we, as a Nation, can live up to customs and traditions established by our people in previous generations. Our leaders of the past had visions for our Nation. We also have visions for our Nation. Survival of our traditions and our collective prosperity depends upon knowing how we are going to accomplish our goals.

As our strategic plan will determine our bearings and, our traditional teachings will continue to provide our moral compass. I am confident that this initiative will bear fruit for the Nation in the years to come. If you have any questions or comments, I invite you to contact the Planning Department or the Office of the President.

In the service of the people.