Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 18, Number 12, 1 December 2001 — The holidays are a time for reflection [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

The holidays are a time for reflection

Oz Stender Trustee, At-large

As the year 2001 comes to an end, many will reflect on the events of the past year, ponder what was or was not aeeomplished, and set goals for the next year. As I reflect on events of the last year, I realize that the tragedy of September 1 1 has affected my Iife as well as the lives of countless others in the State of Hawai'i and in the world - words cannot describe the emotions experienced by families across the nation. My thoughts immediately turn to our Hawaiian people and their struggles. While some hardships have not yet been overcome, new struggles arise because many have been laid off from their jobs. Our dependence on the tourist industry has brought our island state to a*crippling halt and there is greater need to help our people. While serving as the Chairman of

the Committee on Budget and Finance, it became evident to me that the committee structure used by OHA is one that is flawed and unnecessary. I strongly believe that this structure is a hindrance to those whom we are supposed to represent. First and foremost, the eommittee process is inefficient, counter productive, and not cost effective. The committee process is also defective because it protracts decision-making, burdens the staff needlessly, and adds to the cost of operations. The committee structure further divides the Board of Trustees. Eliminating committees would solve these problems and money saved could be used to better serve our people. The recent reorganization of the Board of Trustees has interfered with the work at the board level. This change, whieh occurred only nine months after the start of our

term, caused further division at the board and staff level. Grants and programs, whieh are essential to our Hawaiian community, have been put on hold and funding is held up for an indefinite period of time. Putting these grants and programs on hold is counter productive to our mission, particularly during these difficult times. I have experienced mueh in myyear at OHA and have faced disappointment many times; however, I am not one to give up. I was elected by the people of Hawai'i to represent them and to work for their benefit. Struggles amongst the Trustees continue to plague the Office of Hawaiian Affairs; struggles that could be avoided if we put our personal agendas on hold and work together for the people who put us in office. The holiday season gives eaeh of us the opportunity to think about

the reason for the season. Christmas is a time to remember Jesus Christ, our Lord; and to remember what he has done for us. Our Lord and Savior lived for eaeh of us, He suffered for eaeh of us, and He died for eaeh of us. No greater love ean we ever experience except through Him; but in our own way, we ean give of ourselves for the benefit of our Hawaiian brothers and sisters. As individuals in this organization, we cannot possibly do what is needed for the well-being of our people; but as a group of nine with our mission as our only goal, we ean do great things. It is my hope that eaeh of us will look beyond our personal wants and decide, today, to do what we need to do to better the lives of our Hawaiian people. This holiday season, may eaeh of you receive the richness of His blessings. ■