Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 7, Number 11, 1 November 1990 — OHA is too young to die! [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

OHA is too young to die!

By Clarence F. T. Ching Trustee, O'ahu

Election Day 1990 is right around the corner! You have been barraged with TV ads, sign wavers, eanvassers, handouts of all types and lots of mailouts. You have been polled, asked to attend

fundraisers and coffee hours and to give varied kinds of support to your favorites. Despite all the glitz we are bombarded with, our electorate has matured noticeably in the two years since the last OHA elections. As we have grown, we have learned to read between the lines and have elevated ourselves to levels of sophistication where we ean think independently — we ean note the material facts of the matter, draw logical eonclusions and make well-founded decisions that will affect us, our families and the rest of our people in the foreseeable future. Since its constitutional birth in 1978, OHA has grown from a mere infant to a fine, strapping young teenager. With proper nurturing care, OHA is at that stage in its evolution where its dominant traits are starting to show and the adult it is to become is taking shape. OHA's coming of age is sure to get some members of the nonHawaiian community concerned. OHA's trustees have collectively developed the Master Plan and decided on the priorities that OHA should have. While there are those who don'i agree, most Hawaiians, I believe, are optimistic about the prospects of OHA and the Hawaiian race and culture. OHA has been designed to be that umbrella that will accompany us on our journey to our hoped-for-future — a future where Hawaiians will take our rightful plaee in our own land. We need creative thinkers, rational planners, astute decision makers, prophets of the future and seers of dreams to be among the trustees on the OHA team. We need Hawaiian men and women with positive maturity and foresight to continue to lead this quest towards the future of greatest potential. We have to ask questions of and get answers

from our candidatesfor OHA's Board of Trustees. Has the candidate been active in his community and has he represented Hawaiian concerns on issues of importance? On the environment? On humanitarian issues? On housing? On health? On education? ls the candidate rational, reasonable, fair and open to your concerns? What is the candidate's educational, philosophical and business background? Can you relate to them? What are the candidate's age, interests and experiences? Does he or she have high-leveled priniciples and does he or she stand by them? ls the candidate willing to commit to the success of OHA and the Hawaiian people beyond his family, his personal life, even his other sources of ineome? Is the candidate honest? Does the candidate exude healthy measures of dignity and respect? Vision? Does the candidate have the good health and stamina necessary to endure the physical and mental hardships of being a trustee? Does the candidate ask the important questions and has he or she made important contributions in solving Hawaiian problems and helping guide the future direction of the Hawaiian nation? Does the candidate participate in events and activities of the Hawaiian community and has the candidate promoted Hawaiian culture in its many aspects? Although the qualities listed here may be hard to assess relative to any particular candidate, if we have learned to discern the real issues and make the right decisions, we will elect able trustees to eonhnue to sail our OHA eanoe. While the qualities enumerated here are positive ones, unbelievably and unfortunately, there are trustee candidates who may have other things on their minds. They may have their own special purposes whatever those purposes may be. An example of what I'm talking about is the recent offer by an association of "experts"fronted by a few Hawaiians that would give to them 20 percent of all deals negotiated or brought to fruition by OHA with their "assistance," no matter how miniscule their involvement. As an initial step, they suggested that OHA should collateralize lands that may be coming to

OHA in order to borrow$10million. The proceeds were to be split two ways — *5 million to them and $5 million to OHA. Paybacks were to be made by percentage of participation. Such a one-sided deal as this would have the potential to reap megabucks for the non-OHA participant without having to put down any upfront money and having to incur no risk. Having no money at risk and having the potential to pocket millions of dollars is a mueh, mueh sweeter deal than that of the Fasi kīds who made $100,000 out of a $5,000 "investment" in West Loeh Estates. For the trustees to begin to consider closing a deal such as this is absurd. It's a ripoff. Alternatively, the "investors" should be willing to put down some hard dollars for the opportunity to make an honest return on their investment. However, if I were a gambler, I'd bet that there are trustee candidates who favor such a deal. Another example of what I am talking about is reflected in a eouple of lines from a recent report written by Charles M. Ka'ai'ai, president of Pahe'ehe'e Ridge Association, to the State Council of Hawaiian Homestead Associations (SCHHA) that has somehow gotten into my hands and has captured my eye. In speaking about the "real concerns of SCHHA," on page 5 of his report, Mr. Ka'ai'ai wrote: The only clear position taken was submitted orally in October of 1989. It was stated that the purpose of the SCHHA slate was to get the majority of the OHA commission (sic) votes and fold up OHA. After mueh thought about the possible meanings of the quote, only one valid interpretation is possible. At the risk of being called a mudslinger or negative campaigner, I will elucidate no further. You ean make your own conclusions. Auwe! Auwe! Auwe! As indications become clearer that OHA is or the right path towards solidifying the dream of the Hawaiian majority and is beginning to shou promise in clarifying the directions and steps tha need to be taken, it is our collective obligation tc elect the best qualified trustees to take OHA ane Hawaiians on the next quantum leap. You havc the tools to do it. OHA is too young to die!