Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 18, Number 2, 1 February 2001 — Hawaiian autonomy [ARTICLE]

Hawaiian autonomy

Many feel that the eommon denominator of problems facing Native Hawaiians is pohtics. The two biggest state assets benefitting Hawaiians are the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands and the Office of Hawaiian Affairs, both created pohtically and administered through the political process. Pohtieal agendas have promoted mismanagement, divisiveness, delay and negativism. It is time to mrn these assets over to Hawaiians. The Rice decision may help force this. For too long, self-determina-tion has been debated, argued and litigated. It is time for a solution. We propose the Hawaiian Autonomy Trust (HAT) whieh would preempt constitutional challenges and incorporate these into a Hawaiianadministered trust. It's system of governance would be set up by a convention designed by Hawaiians. As a private trust, its resources, eleeūon of convention delegates and ratification would be the business of its beneficiaries. HAT would remove government from the ownership and management of Hawaiian Home Lands and turn it over to the trust. It would also turn over to the trust all assets from the settlement of all revenue debts to OHA. Whether or not one agrees with See LETTERS on page 3

LETTERS Fnom page 2

the intent of the Hawaiian Homes Act and OHA, a commitment and a promise were made and an obligation created and ratified through the political process. These promises and obligations must be honored. Senator Fred Hemmings Kailua