Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 14, Number 3, 1 March 1999 — Fiscal responsibility [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

Fiscal responsibility

T HAS always been my piineiple to write responsibly. After reading Trustee Maehado's February eolumn titled "OHA'sfailure to serve beneficiaries," regarding her interpretation of the written travel policy of this office, I feel eompelled to respond because any time we become distracted from the needs of the people, I wony. Since taking the position of chair, Trustee Akana has been

barraged with memos from Trustee Machado for approval of a commuter airline pass. To be eeonomieal, a commuter pass requires 1 3 or more trips in one month. Trustee Machado was quick to point out that Trustees Springer, Hao, Trask and Keale were all approved for travel. That is because we all travel by discount coupons and not a $ 1 ,000 a monlh commuter pass. Trustee Machado is weleome to travel like the rest of us, but instead uses words like "irresponsible," "discriminatory," "punitive" and "nebulous" to slander the other trustees. As far as her request for my Committee on Policy and Planning to meet

and discuss this travel issue - it is pointless. My committee ean-

not change HRS Chapter 1 0 as referred to in her article, nor do I feel, after reviewing the policy, that it is ambiguous. discriminatory, irresponsible or punitive to any member of the board. In fact, Trustee Machado states in her article, "Clearly the law says travel allowances are restricted to meetings and official business," and that is the primary criteria for approved travel for staff and trustees alike. The chair, as prescribed by policy, does not restrict or prohibit travel by any trustee when such travel falls within the written policies of the office. These travel policies were first generated in 19$8 and have been consistently enfprced for the past 1 1

years. If a trustee meets the criteria, the trustee is entitled to travel. It is that simple! Therefore, I feel that all the procedures are in plaee for Trustee Machado to request travel through the appropriate process accompanied by the appropriate justification. If the purpose for the travel request is official business, then the chair will respond affirmatively as required. It is the chair's responsibility to review eaeh request, determine eligibility and to dictate the method of travel that is both eeonomieal and feasible. A time to keep silence and a time to speak. Ecclesiastes 3:7 ■

[?]