Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 1, Number 8, 1 October 1984 — Hao is new Molokai Trustee; Accepts Interim Appointment [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

Hao is new Molokai Trustee; Accepts Interim Appointment

Louis Hao, a 24-year veteran of government service, was named Office of Hawaiian Affairs trustee from Molokai at a special board meeting Sept. 10 in Honolulu. He was sworn īn Sept. 12 in the OHA conference room with Associate Justice Ēdward Nakamura of the Hawaii State Supreme Court administering the oath of office. Hao also took the OHA oath of reaffirmation administered by Trustee Moses Keale of Kauai and Niihau. He participated in his first meeting Sept. 13 on Kauai. He was named at the special meeting to succeed Walter Ritte after Circuit Court Judge Philip Chun earlierinthe day ruled that the former Molokai trustee had forfeited his office July 10 when he was sentenced for two 1 983 firearms felonies eonnected with a Molokai hunting incident. Hao, 49, was born in Kona, Hawaii, and was an outstanding basketball player at Hilo High School and the University of Hawaii. He will be serving the remaining two months of Ritte's term and is one of five candidates running for the OH A seat representing Molokai. 1 n brief remarks following the swearing īn, Hao said he will base his work on the board on one key word — cooperation. He explained that there should be cooperation among the nine members of the board. Otherwise, he added, none of the programs will move and nothing ean be accomplished. He explained he was grateful for the appointment and assured those trustees in attendance he will participate fully with the deliberations. "l'm a team man," he said, "and that's the only way I know how to play the game." "I will do the best I ean in working for the benefit of our people," he promised. Hao and his wife, the former Constance Kaukini, live in Kaunakakai. They are the parents of four adult daughters. He received a Bachelor of Arts degree in sociology from the University of Hawaii at Manoa and holds Master's degrees in counseling and sociology from Ball State University, Muneie, Ind. Hao, who currently serves as Maui County Services Administrator on Molokai, has held an assortment of County and State government positions.

They include County Administrator for Molokai and Lanai; Directorof Parks and Recreation. County of Maui; Maui County Mayor's Administrative Assistant; Human Service Center Manager, State of Hawaii; Employment Counselor, State of Indiana; and Recreation Director for the City and County of Honolulu. During his earlier years, he was also a fisherman, salesman, construction worker and school teacher. Hao was also very mueh involved with the community, serving on a wide range of boards, commissions and organizations, including the Maui County Planning Commission, Molokai Task Force, Hawaii Visitors Bureau, MolokaiChamber of Commerce, Molokai General Hospital, Progressive Neighborhood Program, Molokai Community Action Council, Lokahi Pacific, Molokai Institute of Agriculture and Maui Community College Advisory Council. In an earlier news release, Hao said: "The most pressing single need is to find a way to work together in a spirit of trust and cooperation. We have to go back to day one and agree that our goal is to better the conditions of Hawaiians. Then we've got to make sure we don't lose sight of that goal by going off on unproductive tangents. 1 am a person who ean and will work toward a general consensus on how to best serve our people." On the mueh publicized issue of autonomy, Hao said that question must

be carefully studied and defined. "What does autonomy mean? Does it mean giving up my American citizenship? Is it really a government within a government with separate rules for Hawaiians? I see a potential for chaos here. We're going to have to look at this question carefully and the Hawaiian people must be consulted." Hao also stressed the need to work cooperatively with all segments of the community. "It is important for us to respect the needs and wishes of all the people in Hawaii. We must remember that the Office of Hawaiian Affairs was created by voters representing all ethnic groups in the islands."

He warned that OHA must not adopt an arrogant attitude with respect to other Hawaiian organizations. "OHA has a role, as does DHHL, Alu Like, the Hawaiian Civic Clubs and many others. OHA should facilitate and supplement their activities, not attempt to dominate them. I sense that some of them feel threatened and we have to relieve that. The important thing is to assist as many Hawaiians as possible to better their conditions." "In summary," Hao said, "cooperation and working together within the Board and in the greater community is the key to the success of OHA."

Louis Hao, right, takes oath of officefrom Associate Justice Edward Nakamura ofthe Hawaii State Supreme Court.