Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 13, Number 10, 1 October 1996 — Responsibilities: OHA Board of Trustees [ARTICLE]

Responsibilities: OHA Board of Trustees

The idea of an organization run by and for Hawaiians and managing Hawaiian assets was pro-

posed at the 1978 constitutional convention and made a part of the State €onstitution by the entire electorate of the State of Hawai'i. Adopted as Article 12, Section 5, the constitution reads:

"There is hereby established an Office of Hawaiian Affairs. The Office of

Hawaiian Affairs shall hold title to all the real and personal property now or hereafter set aside eon-

veyed to it whieh shall be held in trust for native Hawaiians and Hawaiians." As set forth in the constitution, OHA was structured to be governed by a nine member board of trustees, all Hawaiians elected by Hawaiians. Cont. pg. 22

. . . duties and obligations of the board, include managing and administering the assets of the trust . . .

Responsibilities of the OHA Board of Trustees

from pg. 8 The board comprises four members at large and five from O'ahu, Maui, Moloka'i / Lāna'i, and Kaua'i and Ni'ihau. Since the State Constitution stipuiates that the members reside on - rather than represent - the islands, all trustees basically run in statewide contests. Trustees serve in staggered four-year terms, with four or five seats alternating in the general election over even numbered years. The constitution and Chapter 10, whieh codified the enabling legislation for OHA, set forth the powers, duties and obligations of the board, whieh include managing and administering the assets of the trust, formulat-

ing policy and exercising control over the office through an administrator appointed by the board. OHA receives general funds from the Legislature as a match for trust funds, it is accountable to it. The trustees have absolute discretion over trust funds, however, and ean set the policies for the office separate from those established within the parameters of state government. OHA trustees develop policies, oversee the execution of programs within OHA and oversee the use of trust funds. Duties include maximizing return on the trust through vigorous investment programs and overseeing trust-funded community programs for education, housing and grants.