Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 14, Number 10, 1 October 1997 — NHLC RESPONSE [ARTICLE]

NHLC RESPONSE

Because Francis Paul Keeno called into question the work of the Native Hawaiian Legal Corporation, I feel compelIed to respond j to his letter addressing a pieee I wrote for the August 1997 Ka Wai Ola. Mr. Keeno, who charged the Hawaiian Home Lands Trust Individual Claims Review Panel with bias. True bias and unfairness lie in the "working group" the legislature set up to detcrmine whieh claims are valid and whieh claimants are entitled to eompensation. Three of thc working group's four members have an interest in eliminating most. if not all, of thc claims: One from the DHHL (charged with the wrongdoing); one from thc Attorney General's office (reprcsenting the DHHL); and one lrom the Office

of Budget and Finance (responsible for payment of valid claims). This is like asking the dog, the dog's lawyer and the dog's accountant if the dog is liable for biting the cat. I do not hear Mr. Keeno stating that he is "truly sorry" for those claimants who will be denied compensation because of the working group's unfaimess and bias. The NHLC has prevailed in 89 percent of its cases because our arguments were supported by evidence and established legal piineiples. The law and the facts speak for themselves. The better person accepts defeat gracefully and moves on. Melissa W L. Seu Staff Attorney, NHLC