Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 15, Number 6, 1 Iune 1998 — Changes and Challenges [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

Changes and Challenges

0UR HELP is in the name of the Lord, who made heaven and earth and Gladys Brandt. What a wonderful surprise and a wise selection ! ! I recall back in 1 980 when Mrs. Brandt congratulated me after my first investiture at 'Iolani Palaee. Her words of encouragement are still in my memory even now, almost 20 years later. She said she was so very proud to see a humble Ni'ihau man eome so far and that I should never forget the peo-

ple. Our new trustee is a waim, intelligent and gracious lady who has my deepest aloha. She will definitely bring a glimmer of hope to our board. Trustee Brandt's presence will eommand respect and with respect will eome togetherness. The Native Americans look to their elders for guidanee, and we Hawaiians also look to our kūpuna. I have eome to the or>nr1ii«inn thnt thr

exercise we just went through to select an interim trustee was a learning tool. We need to redo this process. There must be an easier and more satisfactory way of handling this inevitable problem. On May 12, Trustee Abraham Aiona retired and I bid him a fond aloha. He has been a good friend and colleague. Thus begins the process of appointing an interim trustee. I like the idea of picking the next highest vote-getter as that person is the peoples' ehoiee. I hope the process will be faster this time because we have many critical issues facing us.

The ceded lands issue has always been of grave eoneem to me. Chief Justice Moon has urged all parties to arbitrate. However, we have been trying to settle this question for more than a decade. I agree that we should arbitrate and such is the position of OHA - to enter into court-supervised, binding arbitration whieh we know is funded. Under such conditions, there will be no legislative intervention. If the state is truly willing to redress the wrongs, see justice done, and resolve the controver-

sy, tnen tet us enter into binding, funded arbitration. Since statehood in 1959, the ceded lands have been held in trust by the state. By state law, OHA is legally entitled to 20 percent of revenues generated from the use of these lands. And don't forget, 80 percent goes to the state. After 20 years and a legally binding agreement entered into by the state administration and codified into law

oy the legisiature, tne state wants to change the law to halanee the budget at the expense of the Hawaiian. I think not! Absolutely not! If the state cannot or will not live up to its commitment, let us decide the issue through binding arbitration and the courts enforce the outcome. Be not rash with thy mouth and let not thine heart be hasty to utter anything before God. For God is in heaven and you on earth, therefore, let thy words befew. For a dream cometh through a multitude ofbusiness; and a fool's voice is known by a multitude of words. Ecclesiastes 5: 2-3. ■

TRUSTEE MESSA GES

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