Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 16, Number 8, 1 ʻAukake 1999 — Misunderstanding [ARTICLE]

Misunderstanding

We would like to respond to Trustee Mililani Trask's July statement about Papa Ola Lōkahi as a "sovereign entity" within the draft amendments to the Native Hawaiian Health Care Improvement Act. Currently, the Act provides for about $3.2 million annually for health services, education, planning and technical assistance to Native Hawaiians thought the five Native Hawaiian Health Care systems, the Native Hawaiian Heahh Scholarship Program and Papa Ola Lōkahi. The Department of Health and Human Services determines the alloeahon. Our board, on whieh the Office of Hawaiian Affairs is represented, feels more loeal control is important. To facihtate this, the concept of "eompacting" was proposed in the draft language. Ms. Trask is correct that "compacting" is a term used between nation states. However it is also used to identify a process to transfer funds between agencies, and this is what our board was pursuing. Papa Ola Lōkahi's focus is enhanced heahh and well-being of Native Hawaiians. It has no intention of entering the pohtical arena or the sovereignty debate. To avoid confusion, our board has eliminated "compacting" from the draft language of the act. Hardy Spoehr Executive Director Papa Ola Lōkahi