Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 14, Number 12, 1 December 1997 — New Chair's Vision for OHA: 'Clear the ʻeha, connect the dots.' [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

New Chair's Vision for OHA: 'Clear the ʻeha, connect the dots.'

ON OCT. 14, a new chairperson was voted into leadership at OHA, and with the change eame a new majority. During her acceptance speech, Chairperson DeSoto spoke of "inclusive leadership." Phrases such as "stabilize the plaee," "remove fear that many of you have," " not dismantle," " we are going to be more inelusive," and "we are going to clear the 'eha," were used, but no plans were disclosed. When asked of her vision, Trustee DeSoto replied, "We are going to connect the dots."

Make no mistake, the takeover was not over inclusiveness, but over money and power. There is no doubt that under Trastee Clayton Hee OHA made significant progress in its financing efforts and negotiations with the state. In seven years, OHA's assets grew from $ 1 9 million to $275 million. While his brusque style did not sit well with people, myself included, this tough leadership is probably best given tough state and federal opposi- | tion. What are the real motives behind this

takeover? The new majority talks of fiscal prudence, yet they have failed, thus far, to act on their rhetoric. The new chairperson has not responded to my question about her hire of an executive assistant at $5 1 ,000 when that position is "on-the-books" for $42,000. Is that fiscal pradence? The new chair of the Joint Committee on Budget and Finance and Policy and Planning, Billie Beamer, on Oct. 21, pushed an action item for $5,000 to send tapes of committee meetings out for transcription. There would be no need if the new majority had lived up to promises of inelusiveness, if they had shared responsibilities with the minority leadership as promised (I have one committee assignment). Until now.

our secretaries did the transcription. This same trustee called for an executive session whieh was not properly listed on the agenda. She then proceeded to roast the administrator and to discuss four new administration hires without their consent; violating HRS 92-5, thereby putting the trust in harms way, and possibly subjecting OHA to five law suits. Is that fiscal prudence? In a board meeting on Oct. 27, the new majority voted to pay the state $425,000 in trast funds instead of offsetting that amount against $9.9 million in

landing fees owed OHA. citing "a promise of good faith to the legislature" as their reason. Is that fiscal prudence? The same legislamre whieh attempted to change the Native Hawaiian share of revenues to 3 percent, doesn't know what "good faith" means. Should we worry about what a legislature, whieh is trying to empty our trust and steal from beneficiaries, thinks of us? Subsequently, the governor would not release any of those monies. How are the interests of Hawaiians served? Are we elected to serve

our beneficiaries and protect the trust, or are we supposed to roll over for pohticians? This new team is inexperienced and weak. While Trustee DeSoto may elaim she's experienced, she has been the legislative chair at OHA for the last six years, and we've lost more and more eaeh year. According to Trustee Keale, in 1980, Trustee DeSoto told the legislature it could pay Hawaiians $10,000 a year on revenues owed. Is this visionary? Is this prudent? And if that's not enough, a joint eommittee, chaired by Beamer, consisting of four majority trustees, met on Nov. 3 and approved more than $500,000 to create 22 new positions for OHA. Is that fiscal prudence? See AKANA, on page 13

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AKANA. from page 13 The new majority is an Lnteresting aggregation. Trustees Apoliona, Machado, and Springer have between them one year and 9 months, Beamer has three years of experience and DeSoto has 15 years, for a grand totaI of 1 9 years 9 months collectively, while the minority has 38 years total. Brace yourselves; we are in for a rocky ride! ■ H ' 'i