Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 15, Number 5, 1 May 1998 — Imagine that! [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

Imagine that!

WHO'D HAVE thought that Mrs. Gladys Brandt would've accepted the govemor's suggestion to become the new OHA Trustee? After having been a public school teacher, then principal, dean, director and grand dame of the Kamehameha Schools for most of her professional life, Mrs. Brandt served as the chair of the University of Hawai'i Board of Regents at a time when most

people are thinking about the next tee time | at their favorite course. Having had an ear or two pulled during my time as one of her students at Kamehameha, I ean testify to her legendary reputation as a firm, but fair, disciplinanan, just the ticket for what ails OHA. Is there anyone who would dispute that Gladys Brandt is the most qualified to lead the board, with vast 1 knowledge, experience, . discipline. fairness, fis- ; eal prudence and

stamre that she brings to OHA? Imagine that. Just as Mrs. Brandt's appointment to OHA brings new opportunities, so too the ongoing dispute between OHA and the state presents new challenges in resolving the debt owed the Hawaiian people. While the state would like everyone to believe the amount owed, $500 million, would bankrupt the state, the fact of the matter is the resolution of ; this issue is limited only by our willingness to settle and our ability to dream the unimaginable. Imagine areas like the Pali, Makapu'u and Tantalus tourist lookouts deeded ] over to OHA as an offset against the j debt owed. Imagine joint deve!oper

agreements with construction and visitor industry companies building destination areas of shops, restaurants and other eeonomie activities serving tourists visiting these areas. Imagine a helipad at Makapu'u Lookout shuttling tourists back to Waikīkī via the south shore, an energy farm just over the east ridge, a telecommunications antennae farm just beyond that. After all, these kinds of activities fit in an area that is uninhabited and environmentally eompatible. Imagine the state deeding Molokini

Islet to OHA so that the islet is onee again eontrolled by native people. Imagine Hawai-ian-owned companies taking visitors to Molokini to observe the marine wildlife. Imagine a Hawaiian-owned submarine company (or two) with exclusive entry into this uniquely Hawaiian marine habitat. Imagine Hawaiianenforced policies goveming this area. Has anyone ever been to Samoa? Imagine the existing cable car system at the top of Koko

Head back in service so that visitors and loeal people ean onee again ride to the top of Koko Head, only this time to eat at the finest Hawaiianowned restaurant at the "top of the Pacific." Or a Hawaiian- owned cable car with stops along the way affording people opportunities to shop at Hawai-ian-owned stores as it winds its way upward and downward from Hanauma Bay to the top of Koko Head crater. Imagine Hawaiian-owned shops and restaurants on Lē'ahi. Imagine tourists climbing the slope of Lē'ahi, only this time guided by a Hawaiian-owned eompany expert in pointing out the botanieal native forest replanted on Lē'ahi, mueh like is done in Wellington, New Continued on page 14

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Zealand today. The beauty of these ideas is that the debt owed Hawaiians ean be offset by real estate sites from whieh, believe it or not, the state presently does not derive a single penny of tax revenue. These few examples demonstrate that a win-win resolution is only govemed by our willingness to resolve this issue and our ability to work together. Just as Mrs. Brandt's appointment proves the unimaginable is attainable, so too the resolution with the state to settle iLs debt to Hawaiians is every bit possible. ■

Hee From page 13