Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 11, Number 9, 1 September 1994 — Puhi Bay vindicated; wheeling, dealing in "old boy" network; Keaʻau's fate [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

Puhi Bay vindicated; wheeling, dealing in "old boy" network; Keaʻau's fate

by Moanike'ala Akaka Trustee, Hawai'i The jury trial victory July 9 in Hilo court for Daisy Spalding regarding her Puhi Bay and Prince Kūhiō Plaza arrests vin-

dicates the arrestees at these locations. These Hawaiians were forced to commit "acts of peaceful civil disobedience while exercising first amendment rights." Many witnesses at the plaza that day saw the poliee

"approach and grab" (literally attack) Daisy as she was looking into a store window. The "near riot" whieh poliee referred to in court and in the Hawai'i Trihune Herald was provoked by the poliee. These Hawaiains obstructed

no shoppers and were peacefully exercising constitutional rights. Daisy Spalding was raised in Keaukaha on 'āina that became part of the Hilo airport runway, forcing her family to move to

Pana'ewa. She and her husband were arrested at the airport runway with almost 60 women, men and children, including myself, on Labor Day 1978. Before this act of civil disobedience, no rent was beine naid to

DHHL for the airport. As a result of the action. the state was forced to pay over half a million dollars annually to DHHL. For a decade the Spaldings, along with community members, improved Puhi Bay. They

built two pavilions whieh a year ago were destroyed by DHHL, while arrests were being made by Hilo poliee who have no real jurisdiction on DHHL lands. Spalding's attorney Hayden Aluli was "inspired by the 'not guilty' outcome ... (and) message to DHHL about their trust responsibility. ..." Hawaiians are very disturbed that while we are being arrested at Puhi Bay, Prince Kūhiō Plaza and at Makapu'u, the Big Island's largest contractor. Donald Yamada, head of the Contractors' Association and Hawai'i Island Board of Realtors since 1971. has been i 1 1 e g a 1 1 y quarrying rock from ceded lands DLNR controls and has ceased making royalty payments since 1987. Why hasn't DLNR held Yamada responsible for not renewing his license or paying

royalties all these years? Charges of "old boy" networks ring in editorials. Is the grassroots-level reorganization of the Democratic Party for real. and will Richard Port as leader show new direction for the party? Or is the "old boy's" network waiting in the wings until after the election? Are there other instances in whieh DLNR is failing to go after revenues (of whieh 20 percent is supposed to go to OHA) for much-needed programs for you, our constituents, while Hawaiians feel compelled to be arrested on the 'āina? Is there a double standard — one for influential developers like Yamada, and another for "we the people"? In the rush toward progress we often overlook little gems of cu!tural-social significance. The bulldozing of Kea'au town in

Puna is another such planned obsolesence. Also, it seems that Shipman Estates — whose ownership of mueh of Puna remains shrouded in mystery — intends to level the sleepy little town onee called Ola'a. Why? A win-win situation exists, but it will need the aloha spirit at the negotiating table. A handful of Hawaiians and supporters are busy defending the integrity of the old plantation town and the old-timers. It is sad that the American way is to quickly forget the past if it even suggests an alteration to the luna's plans for bigger profits tomorrow. When do residents and citizens get to participate in the communities in whieh they live? The plantatiōn is gone, but the mentality lingers on. ... Mālama pono. Ua mau ke ea o ka 'āina i ka pono.