Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 17, Number 2, 1 Pepeluali 2000 — My vote for the new leadership [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

My vote for the new leadership

ALOHA MAI, e nā 'ōiwi Hawai'i. This February eolumn, the 37th in my series of 46, highlights my statement prior to the Jan. 3 vote on BOT chairperson: "On Jan. 10, 1997, 1088 days ago, at this table, I took my oath of office to 'faithfully discharge my duties as a member of the Board of Trustees of the Office of Hawaiian Affairs.' It is an oath I do not take lightly. This oath affirms responsibility to the law and to serve our Hawaiian people. Today at this table, I will act to 'faithfully discharge my duties.' "By the end of today's vote, the leadership of the board, including the chair and vice-chair functions, will have shifted for the fourth time within three years - twice in 1997, onee in 1998 and today. Additionally, within the same three years, the composition of the board wiU have changed a total of four times - because of the Beamer and Aiona replacements, the 1998 elections, and , now, the Kaua'i replacement. "Through these stages of evolution, the OHA Board of Trustees continues in its struggle to mature both organizationally and spiritually. If our maturation is guided by our Hawaiian values of eollaboration, shared responsibility, credible disclosure and sensitivity to process as well as outcome, I believe our Hawaiian community will approve and participate with us. The Hawaiian eommunity expects no less from us, the people they elect. "Three days into this new millennium, we who lead the Board have the obligation to overcome the 'pull of the past.' The opportunity to transcend the old style of doing board business is at hand. Balance and principle-centered leadership oriented to service and building on talents and strengths that eomplement decision making and problem solving for the good of the whole, for the good of the mission, will move OHA forward. "Today, the vote by trustees for the chair and vice-chair is the first step toward restoring stability on the board. The Dec. 28 Honolulu Advertiser artiele, " Unity Elusivefor OHA in 1999," summarized facts that only break the surface of the water with more of the dangerous reef below. These facts hold lessons for course correction from whieh we must all learn. / / t is my humble opinion that this new leadership coalition headed by our chair and vice-chair ean chart a credible and successful course for OHA. Supportive, active committees will enhanee the success of this voyage. "Our people are awaiting a unified, humble, task-oriented spirit to emerge

from our board. Hawaiians want to see their board act responsibly and mature/y even in times of disagreement. We trustees ean make the difference in the maturation of OHA to a level that will regain the confidence and good will of our Hawaiian people. "Weighing all issues in my mind and na'au, brings me to the conclusion that I have a critical decision to make. Do I empower OHA's path to self-destruction or elo I do something about it? I have listened, evaluated and must now act. I think all Hawaiians and non-Hawaiians who care about OHA and have witnessed recent times eeho the same response. Do something about it. "My vote today is only one vote, but it is meaningful to me and significant to advancing the work ofthis new leadership coalition for change. My votes today support this eoaliūon effortfor the purpose of transcending the past in order to open the wayforfuture possibilities through this boardfrom whieh our Hawaiian people will gain. "OHA is a eanoe in whieh all nine of us trustees have seats. With paddles in hand we must work together to apply our energies, our time, our problemsolving skills toward a corrected course for OHA and a balanced approach to leadership. Working together to solve problems and leading with respect, shared responsibility and cooperation, we ean serve to better the conditions of our Hawaiian people." ■

"The opportunity to transcend the old style of doing board business is at Y\and"

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