Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 1, Number 1, 1 June 1981 — Why OHA? [ARTICLE]

Why OHA?

UuRING the 1978 Constitutional Convention, the Committee on Hawaiian Affairs met to review the section in the Constitution dealing with Hawaiian Homelands and to discuss many Hawaiian related issues. In the process of reviewing and discussing, the Committee decided to introduce an amendment to set up OHA based on several !egal and historical precedents: a) Since the fall of the Constitutional Monarchy in 1893, Hawaiians have had less and less of a voice in Government. b) The boards and commissions set up to help Hawaiians are either appointed by courts, the Legislature or the Governor. e) The ineome from the public land trust was not being used to directly benefit Hawaiians. d) Hawaiians need a state agency that would represent their needs and concerns, and coordinate programs for all of them. The decision to introduce the amendment setting up the Office of Hawaiian Affairs was a direct result of the above

areas of eoneem. Thus, the establishment of OHA was an attempt: 1) To give Hawaiians more of a voice in government; 2) To accord to them the right to choose their representatives through the eleehon of OHA trustees; 3) To secure for them a pro rata portion of the public land trust and; 4) To offer representation of all Hawaiians. At OHA, the trustees and staff work as advocates for the Hawaiian community. They remain open and sensitive to the needs and concerns of the people. To that end, meetings have been held in various communities throughout the state to share mana'o. We at OHA are concerned about the welfare of all Hawaiians and try to represent their best interest at the Legislature, with other state agencies and with eommunity organizations. We are also committed to working for Hawaiians through the creation of poliheal, eeonomie, cultural, educational, and legal programs.