Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 13, Number 10, 1 ʻOkakopa 1996 — Working toward a more pono OHA [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

Working toward a more pono OHA

Moanike'ala Akaka Trustee, Hawai'i

In my twelve years as OHA

Trustee from Hawai'i island, I have been an independentthinker, weighing facts and points of view, gathering opinions of specialists when needed and consulting with all parties before reaching a decision that will affect the lives of Na Po'e. I

do not allow petty ego differences to interfere with service to our beneficiaries. Frequently I have been in the minority; there are times when I continue to be. I was in the minority when Dante Carpenterwas wrongfu!ly and maliciously terminated. Since that time there has been, I feel to the detriment of our people, more

dissention and rancor than ever before on the Board of Trustees. Currently two slates have

appeared for this next OHA elee-

tion as quick fixes" to make OHA "pono". Let us think: is there an ulterior motive behind these slates? Are slates what's really needed to make OHA pono? The weakness of slates is that they are rub-

ber stamps for special interests. I certainly would qustion any slate whose charter membership of 13 included no women. It is more prudent to vote for individuals who have demonstrated strong Ieadership and commitment and ean stand on their own merit, as demonstrated through their track record relating to Hawaiian

issues. We need this kind of problemsolving approach to tackle OHA's HHS Budget and make it possible to fund mueh needed direct services to remedy domestic violence, youth programs, health, substance abuse, and more. Unfortunately, Administration and Trustees have done little to make a difference through the Health and Human Service budget. Give me committee members that attend committee meetings and use their God-given faculties to help "birth this Hawaiian Nation" and we (OHA) will be "pono". The process of creating programs and services for the Hawaiian people is done through Committee meetings. Trustees not attending committee meetings, lacking a quorum (3 of 5 members) bring to a halt the machinery that ean better the

Hawaiian condition. My attendance record these past 12 years has been among, if not the best, of any and all Trustees - at times attending meetings as a non-eom-mittee member to keep abreast of issues and concems. My dedication and record show my eoneem is for all Hawaiians. I am a politieal realist preferring bread in the hand rather than pie in the sky. Governor Ben Cayetano has not only put $1.9 million from airport revenues owed last quarter to OHA for Hawaiian people in escrow, but states,"...(I) don't know how the previous administration justified direct payments to OHA whether it be from airport or any other funds." The Govemor is maliciously attempting to build up resentment against Hawaiians and the fact remains that we receive 20% of revenues from Ceded Lands (while State receives 80%). The

Governor's and some Legislators' avarice is showing. They conveniently forget that we Hawaiians had 100% of our entire Hawaiian Nation usurped by treacherous foreign forces; yet they begmdge us 20% of revenues they agreed to pay from Ceded Lands! As of this writing (9/9/96) the "Hawaiian Vote" is in the U.S. 9th circuit court of appeals. A non-Hawaiian questions the eonstitutionality of our "Hawaiian Vote". This is a test of the U.S. Constitution's capacity to adapt through timely interpretation of unique historical facts. The momentum of the Hawaiian Renaissance and sovereignty will not go away for Ua mau ke ea o ka 'āina i ka pono! God's on our side! Mālama pono. (Editor's note: Native Hawaiian Vote results were announeeā Sept. 11. See story,page 1.)