Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 2, Number 2, 1 February 1985 — OHA Trustees Oppose Land Swap [ARTICLE]

OHA Trustees Oppose Land Swap

The Board of Trustees of the Office of Hawaiian Affairs on Jan. 25 voted unanimously to oppose a controversial land swap involving the State Department of Land & Natural Resources (DLNR) and the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands (DHHL).

DHHL wants to transfer approximately 13 acres of land at Shafter F!ats on Oahu for some 200 acres of DHHL land at Hilo, Waimea and Molokai airports. However, the Shafter Flats land is part of the Public Land Trust from whieh OHA derives the bulk of its ineome. Although OHA has been receiving $52,000 a year from the Shafter Flats land, the agency was not informed or eonsulted about the proposed transfer until after agreement had been reached by DLNR and DHHL. At the Jan. 25 OHA board meeting, trustees adopted a statement saying that, "The board does not condone any

action or attempt by any agency or department of the state whieh would diminish in any way OHA's revenue sources. Specifically in this case, we find that Shafter Flats does diminish those resources." The proposed transfer cannot be finalized without approval from the U.S. Department of the Interior and that approval has not yet been received.

In addition to the statement opposing the Shafter Flats transfer, the OHA board voted to appoint an ad hoe eommittee to establish the facts and investigate the circumstances of the Shafter Flats transfer and any future exchanges of land involving DHHL and land whieh is part of OHA's ineome base. The OHA board was expected to meet again Friday, Feb. 1, to further consider the subject. Georgiana Padeken, DHHL chairman, was expected to participate in that meeting.

OFFICE OF HAWAIIAN AFFAIRS 567 So. King Street Honolulu, Hawaii 96813