Bush accused of incompetence over tribal casinos

2007-10-05 13:44:12

The Bush administration has been accused of incompetence over the handling of Indian tribe casino plans.

Senator Byron Dorgan said that the federal government has been very slow to respond to the needs of Indian tribes, reports the Sacramento Bee.

He cited the North Fork Rancheria Indians in Madera County as one example where morale and money were ebbing away as a result of ineptitude on the part of policy-makers.

Before the tribe can go forward with a proposal to build a $250 million casino, the federal government has to publish an environmental report that has been gathering dust for nine months.

"The delays are just not acceptable," said senator Dorgan, who chairs the Senate Indian Affairs Committee. "It seems like gross incompetence to me."

Senator Dorgan's committee has jurisdiction to study the problems that affect American Indian, Alaskans and native Hawaiian people.