Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 40, Number 12, 1 December 2023 — Gambling Rears its Ugly Head at OHA and Gets Decapitated [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

Gambling Rears its Ugly Head at OHA and Gets Decapitated

V LEO 'ELELE V ^ TRUSTEE MESSAGES *

Afew months ago, some Native American Indians eame to town. They met with all of OHA's female trustees (O'ahu Trustee Akaka, Chair Trustee Lindsey, Trustee Alapa and myself) in various separate meetings. They had a power point presentation inviting OHA to join a business partnership with them for a gambling casino in Waikīkī! The "ask" was simple. OHA would give up all the parcels it owns in Kaka'ako for a "crap shoot" (literally) and would in-

agencies and our inter-faith Eeumenieal Council of Churches because gaming attracts many other illegal activities, including prostitution and drug dealing. My response was simple... GAMBLING IS ILLEGAL IN HAWAI'I, and OHA's primary obligation is to address the needs of our people for housing, heahh, education, aina and food. Some trustees at OHA want to facilitate gambling in Hawai'i, claiming that we could get

stead exchange the Kaka'ako lands for the old convention center in Waikīkī, whieh OHA would then refurbish as a gambling casino! I explained to them that their proposal was dead in the water because Hawai'i is one of two states in the union that prohibits all forms of gaming. Simply put, gambling is a crime in Hawai'i. I told them that only the Hawai'i State Legislature could change that law and that even if it was changed, the governor could still veto it. I told them that prior efforts to pass gaming laws in Hawai'i had all failed, and that in Hawai'i there is a strong anti-gaming lobby consisting of our state and federal law enforcement

millions from the crap tables and make even more money by using our casino to host wrestling, MMA and Boxing matches just like some Native Americans do on the continent. These ideas are ridiculous and idiotic. Gaming is illegal in Hawai'i. OHA's job is to address our people's critical needs pursuant to our strategic plan. Trustees who want to advocate for gambling need to re-read their oath of office and consider running for a legislative office. My mana'o is simple. Gaming is not an option for OHA. Our job is to build 29,000 homes for our people, not gambling casinos. Merry Christmas, Mililani ■

Mililani B. Trask vice chair Trustee, Hawai'i lsland