Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 12, Number 1, 1 January 1995 — Let's get the story straight [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

Let's get the story straight

by Namuel L. Kealoha, Jr. Trustee, Moloka'i One of the first things Brierly Investment, Ltd. of New Zealand did when they bought Moloka'i Ranch (MR) in 1989 was to terminate the employ-

ment of 25 Moloka'i residents. The majority of those released by MR were native Hawaiians. In one stroke of the pen, this haole (foreign) company stripped away the livelihood and dignity of these longtime residents of Moloka'i. As replacements, MR stuffed their payroll with overpaid haole consultants, along with a few deadbeat political characters from the state Democrat and Republican

parties. MR led Moloka'i resident hunters to believe that they were sincerely interested in allowing access, when all the while they fully intended to pull the rug out from under their feet. Even before Brierly Investment, Ltd. bought MR, their strategy for exorbitant profit-taking included the desecration of native Hawaiian sites, sacred to

the history of Moloka'i and its people. They have no problem pouring concrete over 'āina whieh has no meaning except dollar signs. They feel no remorse in fencing and denying access to long-used trails, landmarks and sites familiar to native people.

"ECO-TOURISM" is a term MR uses in plaee of "SCAM." They eompletely ignore the fact that their version of "ECO-TOURISM" competes with the basic survival needs of native Hawaiians to feed their families. Making the "right" business decisions is the number-one priority for MR. They made the "right" business decision when they ignored Hawai'i State and county laws in conservation

districts and land with the County Special Management Area. Thanks to the generous and forgiving DLNR Board member, Willie Kennison - who is charged with upholding state laws and statutes and whose per diem (payments) comes from the people of the State of Hawai'i - Moloka'i Ranch was not penalized for its violations; it was given a free ride.