Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 13, Number 2, 1 February 1996 — Page 12 Advertisements Column 1 [ADVERTISEMENT]

Effective Hawaiian Political Structure Urgently Needed

Hui Kalai'aina sees poliūeal structure as means to achieve government accountability.

Hui Kālai'āina intends to re-establish a political process for Hawaiians - one THAT IS PREDICATED ON THE PRINCIPLES OF ACCOUNTABILI"nr, RESPONSIBILITY AND consensus. Presenting the full political platform in the January edition of Ka Wai Ola o Oha was the first step in this effort.

Hawaiians urgently need to restore the Hawaiian political infrastructure. Hui Kālai'āina is reconvened for exactly this purpose. Hui Kālai'aina believes that the Office of Hawaiian Affairs must begin operating within the framework of a political infrastmcture. Elective office at every level - nahonal, state and loeal - is supported by a political infrasti"ucture in whieh eaeh political party advocates its distinct philosophy and platfoi"m. The paities are geared to organizing campaigns and to seeing their members voted into elective office. Those who are elected through such a process aie guided by the philosophy and platform of their party, whieh is a product bom of consensus among the members. Thiough the paity stmcture, they remain in touch with and accountable to the party membership OHA is a poliheal subdivision of Hawanans that is forced to operate in a political vacuum The legislation creating the Oifice of Hawaiian Affairs defines its mission. The individual frustees, however, because they are not supported by any political party, have no clear political mandate. Over the years, OHA frustees have relied on their personal ideals, strengths and experiences. No tmstee is accountable to a political constituency or to a political vision. What avenues are available to Hawaiians to correct this situation? Why is a Hawaiian consensus so difficult to attain? How ean we establish a greater accountability of the OHA trustees to the Hawaiian electorate? Concerned Hawaiians have urged that OHA's representative districts be reapportioned to offset the undue influence of the Oahu vote. Others eall for the realignment of OHA'S organizational stmctuie, changing the relationship between the tmstees and administrator. It is Hui Kālai'aina's position that OHA's problems will not be resolved so easily.

Since the first OHA eleeūon in 1980, the OHA tmstees have remained outside any poliheal system that could provide a strategy or a means to achieve consensus. They have remained enmeshed in intemāl issues and organizational struggles, of whieh the recent, mueh publicized squabbles among the frustees are a prime example. Unfortunately, every Hawaiian pays the price of these shoi1comings. Our Hawaiian poliheal infrastmcture has been in hibernation for more than one hundred years. During this time, Hawaiian families have turned to informal and unstmctured avenues to voice their concems. Civic clubs, churches, foundations, non-profit institutions and royal orgamzations have substituted for a true Hawaiian political infrastmcture. In recent times, individuals have declared their own independent Hawaiian nations, or created nations within a nation. None of these substitutes has been satisfactory. Hawaiians have been without an effective political infrastmcture since 1893.

Now, just as sovereignty has risen to the forefront of the Hawaiian agenda, so too must we recognize the urgent, immediate need for Hawaiians to revitalize our political parties. This is the task taken on by Hui Kālai'āina. And your active involvement is needed if the work is to succeed. E kokua mai kakou! Hui Kālai'āina will be reaching out to you, to our families, friends, neighbors and communities through every possible means - through our churches and our institutions, through informal networks and through media - to hana pono the situation at the Office of Hawaiian Affairs and to restore your poliheal voice and the voice of all Hawaiians. There are many ways you ean help. For more information please contact one of the individuals whose name appears below. Or write to Hui Kālaiaina, PO Box 19 16, Honolulu, HI 96805. A hui hou!

If you would like to know more about Hui Kālai'āina, and about how you ean get participate in this non-partisan Hawaiian political initiative, contact one of the members whose name appears below: Eli Nahulu, president Hawai'i Ron Makaula DelaCruz Hawai'i Ben Henderson Oahu Allen Kale'iolani Hoe Oahu Douglas Keauhou Ing Oahu Mel Kalahiki Oahu Dennis Kauahi Oahu Francis Kauhane Hawai'i Earl Kawa'a Oahu H.K. Bruss Keppeler Oahu Bob Lindsey Hawai'i Cordy MacLaughlin Maui R. Keau Pua Oahu Walter Ritte, Jr. Moloka'i George Thomas Oahu ) or write to Hui Kālai'āina, PO Box 1916, Honolulu, HI 96805. E Ola Mau Ke Ea Hawai'i E Ola Mau Loa O Hawai'i Nei