Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 13, Number 6, 1 June 1996 — Tell it like it is! [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

Tell it like it is!

by Moanike'ala Akaka Trustee, Hawai'i State: Thou shalt not speak with forked tongue! HB 1698 HD3 was killed this past Legislature by the Senate, but rest assured that it will resurface next session. Governor Ben Cayetano is playing "hard ball" while posturing - statements like "18 representatives who voted

against HB1698 were led by their hearts and not their heads." Well, batter up! I am one of the members of a negotiating team composed of the governor, legislative representatives, and OHA trustees relating to OHA's ceded land revenues; Onipa'a! We must fight for what rightfully belongs to the Hawaiian

people! Over 2 1/2 years of negotiations with the Waihe'e administration for a retroactive settlement,

agreed to by the state Legislature as Act 304, cannot be wiped out! Hawaiians didn't create this financial crisis! Earl Anzai, Cayetano's budget man, previously OHA's attorney, told me this state was $850 million in surplus in 1988. Now we've a $500 million deficit. Why should the governor take 80 percent of OHA revenues while the state Legislature also slashed almost a million dollars out of OHA's budget last session? OHA's share of all state annual revenues is 1/2 of 1 percent. They want to wipe that out by 80 percent!! We offered to help the state out at the beginning of this last legislative session. Our lobbying team offered a loan sacrificing our revenue-stream until the state was in better eeonomie times; instead they opted to steal the Hawaiian share of state earnings off of our ceded

lands. (First they steal our country, now they're attempting to steal most of the minuscule percentage we get from what the state makes off our stolen 'āina. Not bad!!) Agreed, the state has money problems but don't take it out on the Hawaiian people; sounds antiHawaiian! Over a century ago, we Hawaiians were "leading with our hearts not our minds" and

-| were taken advantage of to the tune of losing our nationhood, our 'āina, our language and, of course, our | innoeenee. Onee again I " will work with trustee DeSoto (we were on the original negotiating team) to insure concessions we struggled for are not lost! ! N o w , after the Legislature, the - governor states, "this has

been a mediocre legislative session ... because OHA ceded revenues were not cut (by 80 percent), saving the

State millions annually." (I notice HVB again receives $25 million this year). Health and human services (HHS) Hawaiians rank no. 2 nationally in the eancer death rate. One of the reasons for the high mortality rate among Hawaiians is the laek of early diagnosis and sub-standard quality care compared to other ethnic groups. One of my wonderful aunts, over a decade ago, could not afford the medicine she need-

ed for treatment and her life was shortened. OHA should have a fund available to kōkua for medications for ean-cer-treatment patients who don't have the kālā. This and other heahh and human service needs of our people should be a top priority. Some programs funded in HHS include: Alu Like (For administrative costs of $600,000 annually over the past 6 years), Wai'anae Diet, and recently a grant to "Healthy Start" - a very positive program for mothers and young babies at Ko'olaupoko - there should be more such programs. Although we have so many needs in HHS, I am sorry to say that it has been close to impossible to get a quorum of committee members (3 of 5 trustees needed) to participate in a Health and Human Services Committee meeting. It makes me liliha (heartsick). Problems like AIDS, teenage pregnancy, physically and mentally-disabled general-assistance cuts, and laek of youth alternative programs plus others need to be addressed immediately. I

also had on this last agenda for consideration a residential drug-treatment program for female substance abusers and their children, many of whom are victims of the "iee epidemic" raging amongst many of our 'ohana. This proposed program works with the whole 'ohana and has had some significant success - yet I had to eaneel the presentation due to laek of quorum. Committee members are A. Frenchy DeSoto, Samuel L. Kealoha, Jr., Moses K. Keale, Sr. and Billie Beamer, with myself as chair. Please remind these trustees that we are elected to better the conditions of our people. It is a matter of survival! We Hawaiians are an endangered species! Heakh and human services issues should not be used for political football! Huliamahi - eome together - be strong as the sea! Mālama pono. Ua mau ke ea o ka 'āina I ka pono.