Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 13, Number 4, 1 April 1996 — The battle continues [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

The battle continues

by Rowena Akana Trustee-at-Large Every legislative session presents its own unique set of challenges. This year has been more challenging than most. Our Legislature mounted an aggressive frontal assault on OHA, threatening vital pro-

grams for our native Hawaiian beneficiaries. By the time you read this article, many of the legislative bills now in the House and Senate will have gone through the decision-making process, but the battle continues! I encourage all of you to stay in the fight! If you haven't joined in, do so. The future of you and your children may

very well depend on your participation. As the legislative session winds down, I would like to pause a moment to say mahalo to ail of you who have supported our cause over the past several months. Thank you for your help in killing Rep. Calvin Say's HB 2071 and HB 38742. Also, thank you for helping defeat Sen. Norman

Mizuguchi's SB 2867. These bills never made it out of their respective committees, but don't drop your guard until all our legislators have gone home for the year! 1 would also like to take this opportunity to thank all of you who, like me, questioned why our Board chairman, Clayton Hee, felt it was necessary to hire Governor

Cayetano's bodyguards for our February 15th board meeting. Was it merely because so many constituents were expected to protest OHA's funding of HSEC (Hawaiian Sovereignty Elections Council)? This isn't the first time Hee called in professional protection to intimidate beneficiaries who eame to testify before our

board. Many of you asked why Chairman Hee feels the need to protect himself from his own people? Others of you asked why the governor provided these security guards at the expense of Hawai'i's taxpayers? Thank you for asking. I hope you demand some answers. A special mahalo to all of you who called in response to my television pro-

grams on 'Olelo, in particular, the airing of our June 27, 1995 Board of Trustees meeting. Clayton Hee's arrogance and unprofessional tirades during this meeting inspired Charles Memminger of the Honolulu Star Bulletin to write a eolumn entitled, "Hee could use a lesson in ho'oponopono." Despite criticism by some trustees, including Chairman Hee, for taping our board meetings and airing them on community television, I still strongly believe all of you have the right to be informed and to see your elected officials in action. The bright light of public scrutiny and disclosure will always serve to illuminate and educate. Chairman Hee's abhorrent public flogging of one of his staff members, captured on video and aired on 'Ōlelo, illuminated many things about his character. Will any of us forget what we saw? Unfortunately, keeping you informed comes with a price. Trustees who speak against the majority view become a target for retaliation. Most recently, this retaliation took the form of imposing restrictions on the number of letters we ean now mail to our constituents. Unless we chair a committee (Trustees Beamer, Keale, and I

do not), the postage on any more than ten similar pieces must be paid out of our own expenses. Chairman Hee also punishes Trustees by denying us the most basic office tools needed to perform daily tasks that serve you, our beneficiaries. Hee has even refused to authorize office supplies for my staff! Again, this abuse of power is nothing new. One quick look at trustees' travel expenses will show you who is in Hee's favor and who goes without. But try as Hee might, there are things not even the chair ean stop me from doing: Protecting your entitlements, developing programs that benefit all OHA beneficiaries, and keeping you informed. 1 HB 2707 suspended payments to OHA for 5 years. 2 HB 3874 required 20% of OHA's ceded land revenues be given to Health & Human Services and the Hawaii Housing Authority. 3 SB 2867 limited revenues due OHA and threatened your Hawaiian entitlements. Note: If you have any questions or eoncerns, please contact my office at 5941868.