Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 6, Number 2, 1 February 1989 — Education Key lssue For Legislature [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

Education Key lssue For Legislature

At 10 a.m. on a beautiful warm January 18, Hawaii's 15th legislature officially opened for business, incorporating all the trappings we've eome to expect.

Music by the Royal Hawaiian Band set the stage while men, women and children bedecked with flowers greeted eaeh other with smiles and alohas. Residents and visitors alike shook hands, embraced, and poked heads into doors at the ono foods and refreshments. In the House, vocalist Marlene Sai thrilled the standing-room only crowd with her rendition of the national anthem and Hawai'i Ponoi, and Cecilo & Kapono made the day more mellow with their songs. Meanwhile in the Senate, A1 Harrington, Don Ho, the Naluai Brothers, and Frank DeLima kept the laughter and good spirits strong. But for all the pageantry, the legislators soon buckled down to the business of serving Hawaii's people.

In his opening remarks to the 1989 legislative session, Senate president Richard S.H. Wong focused on what he called "Hawaii's Pacific Parallax." He urged that Hawaii's leaders, as part of the emerging Pacific community, should use both their "outer" views of reality and their "inner" eyes to turn the vision of Hawaii's future into a reality. Wong said Hawai'i is uniquely bounded by far horizons, and the state should take advantage of her

multi-cultural heritage īn promoting world peaee. "We need to develop and to strengthen the opportunities for Hawaii's people. Our mid-Pacific position enables us to assume a leadership position in exploring opportunities in the rapidly expanding field of telecommunication, as well as oeean resources, and a world center for space ex-

ploration. To push our horizons out further, we need to look with the "outer eye" but also to be guided by our "inner eye" as to what we want, where we want to go, and who we want to be."

Addressing major issues of eoneem to Native Hawaiians and others, the senator talked about the need to improve Hawaii's educational system. See Legislature, page 2

After the opening ceremonies at the State Capitol, freshman legislator Representative Annelle Amaral (Ewa, Kunia, Makakilo) paused at her door for a uniquely Hawaiian ceremony of weleome. On behalf of Amaral, OHA kupuna 'Ulu Garmon chanted a eall in Hawaiian forpermission to enter. Garmon asked the waiting friends and constituents inside if they were willing to accept her as their puhlie servant. Waiting within, Maile Lum Ho Vargo, another OHA kupuna, gave the eall of weleome on behalf of the guests. Amaral was then permitted to enter her office, where friends and family greeted her.

Legislature, continued from page 1

He stressed the commitment of state leaders to develop a well educated citizenry — People who are prepared not only to make a living but to make a life." Other major concerns Wong addressed included affordable housing "in the $100,000 range," for moderate ineome families, as well as the plight of the homeless, poor, young, elderly, and the expansion of health care services. Tax reform and rebates, transportation, traffic relief, and mass transit, he said, will all play an important part in the legislative agenda.

Senator Mary George speaking for the Senate Republican minority responded with what she termed a "eommon sense approach." She stressed that some "yardsticks" were necessary in addressing issues concerning Hawaii's people. She stressed the objective of running a "lean and effective State government, one whieh would operate on a low cholesterol diet." She said legislators should think about the long-range effects of their proposals, also whether the private sector would be a more appropriate avenue to implement changes. George called for removal of the general excise tax on food and medicine, the issuance of tax credits for elder care or for affordable child care, affordable housing and the decentralized management in the school system.

Representative Daniel Kihano, speaker of the House, reminded the attentive throng listening in the House, that Hawaii's leaders have the responsibility "to protect and nurture" the "doctrine of aloha," for those who will follow." Kihano's speech drew heavily on Hawaiian values as tools to guide the elected legislators. Citing education as one of his top priorities, he pointed out the high value Hawaii's people have traditionally placed on education. He pointed to Princess Bernice Pauahi Bishop's foresight in willing her vast estate for her people's education. Speaking on Native Hawaiian issues, Kihano . said leaislators must:

• "accelerate the infrastructure program at the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands and move toward placing more people onto available lands." • "incorporate Hawaiian values into our fabric of living. For example, we will encourage all parties involved in controversial issues of land and culture to actively participate in sessions of ho'oponopono or some form of alternative dispute resolution, prior to the filing of lawsuits." Kihano also called for a "public/private partnership" to solve problems of transportation and human service needs. He emphasized environmental protection and "malama 'aina," caring for the land with a sense of protection and deep respect. He summed up the purpose of the leadership in a simple Hawaiian phrase: "kulia i ka nu'u" or strive for the highest.

Senator Richard Wong

O O o. e

Representative Daniel Kihano

o o -e E