Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 6, Number 4, 1 ʻApelila 1989 — A Forum For You [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

A Forum For You

By Moses Keale, Trustee, Kaua'i, Ni'ihau

Anoai Kakou: Last month we talked about the various outreach programs whieh are provided for you, the beneficiaries of the Office of Hawaiian Affairs. These are programs developed by our capable staff to provide large groups of people a plaee to meet and discuss eommon problems and

successful solutions. All of us as Trustees should look more closely at the concerns raised at these conferences as one way to "feel" the pulse of the larger community. In the past, I have been disappointed by the low or nonexistent turnout of community at our Board Meetings. Here, where all the policies and decisions are made whieh affect how we work for the betterment of the Hawaiian people and thereby service you, there is a serious laek of input from the beneficiary. In posing questions in my mind

about why this is happening, I wonder if we are making you feel unweleome in this hale. Are we providing a comfortable forum for you to ask questions about reports or decisions that we make? Are we disseminating adequate notices about our meetings, subjects to be discussed, or actions to be taken? Or is the time of the Board meetings inconvenient for you? These are difficult questions to answer. As I pass through the community listening to issues you raise it saddens me to realize that these issues are not being addressed by the Board. We, eaeh of us on the Board, need to hear from you. We need to hear of your concerns. We need to hear of your successes so we ean share them with others. In affirming and supporting Governor Waihee's program of Capitol For a Day, I stand ready to meet with you in your community to discuss any issue or share with you any OHA program whieh you feel will benefit you and/or your community. Please eall Laura at the OHA office to set up a day and time whieh will be eonvenient for you. The number is 946-2642. A i mana'o kekahi e lilo i po'okela i waena o oukou, e pono no e lilo ia i kauwa no oukou. Na ke Akua e malama a e alaka'i ia kakou apau.