Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 2, Number 8, 1 ʻAukake 1985 — NACo Delegates Adopt Three Hawaii Resolutions [ARTICLE]

NACo Delegates Adopt Three Hawaii Resolutions

Over 5,000 elected officials, representing counties across the nation, have pledged their support for Hawaiian rights. Delegates of the 50th annual meeting of the Nahonal Association of Counties (NACo) in Orlando, Florida last month unanimously adopted three resolutions introduced by the Hawaii State Association of Counties. The resolutions ask Conaress to:

1 . "Include native Hawaiians in the definition of native Ameriean and extend to native Hawaiians eligibility in all programs affected by such definition without prejudice." 2. "Establish a single definition of native Hawaiian without reference to blood quantum and to provide appropriate protection tp guarantee the rights and privileges of current Hawaiian Homes beneficiaries."

3. "Review the implementation of recommendations adopted by the joint Federal-State Task Force on Hawaiian Home Lands in 1983, and to initiate breach of trust or other appropriate legal action for non-eomplianee by the State of Hawaii or the U.S. Department of Interior." The resolutions were approved by NACo's Pub!ic Lands Steering Committee last April in Reno, Nev., for consideration at the annual meeting. īh-1 July 16 adoption by the full membership means that NACo will now initiate lobbying efforts in Washington on behalf of the proposals. Office of Hawaiian Affairs Chairman Joseph G. Kealoha Jr. represented the OHA Board of Trustees at the Orlando meeting. Delegates to the meeting from Hawaii included: from

Oahu, Cit'y Council Chairman George Akahane and Couneilman David Kahanu; from Maui, Council Members Abe Aiona and Howard Kihune; from Kauai, Council Chairman Ronald Kouehi and Council Members Maxine Correa and Jesse Fukushima; and from the Big Island, Chairman Stephen Yamashiro and Council Members Lorraine Jitchaku and Robert Herkes. Councilman Aiona, Chairman of a special NACo committee on Hawaiian Affairs, called adoption of the three resolutions "a coordinated effort by the Hawaiian delegation". During the Orlando meeting, Aiona was elected to the 100-member NACo Board of Directors. Oahu Council Chairman Akahane was appointed to the Board by NACo's president.