Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 15, Number 6, 1 June 1998 — OHA weathers storms of change [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

OHA weathers storms of change

ĪHIS MONTH we welcomed to OHA Gladys Brandt. At 91, she is still accepting and meeting challenges head on. She is truly an inspiration and a living testimony for all of us to mirror. As we extend our weleome to Aunīie Gladys, it is with great trepidation that we say aloha to Abraham Aiona of Maui. Abe has served our benefīciaries tirelessly since his eleeīion in 1990. Abe has devoted almost all his adult life to public service and serving his community. I wish only the best for him and his family in his retirement years. The OHA organization began

in 1980 with the eleehon of nine trustees and 5250,000 annually. OHA had not received its 20 percent fair share of ceded land ineome until 1993. Throughout the years, OHA has struggled like a mother giving birth to a child, going through excruciating labor pains. While some of us may be impatient with its progress, or the laek of it, we forget that 1 8 years is a very short amount of time when you consider OHA's mandate and the expectations of our people. even though the two may collide from time to time. From its growing pains may emerge the biith of a nation. The writing of the United States of Ameriea's

Constitution took almost 20 years because of the different view-

poinLs of many groups. OHA has many accomplishments that we ean all be proud of. However, there is always another challenge on an almost daily basis. One hundred and iive years ago, life for our island people changed with the takeover of our nation. It is unrealistic for us to think that in eighteen years we ean reverse all of the injustices. That is not to say that we are not trying, we must always have hope for a better tomorrow for our ehildren. Setting the record straight: a time to move on In last month's Ka Wai Ola, Trustee Machado wrote of our contract with First Honolulu Securities, addressing the issue of commissions. The truth is in

1995, 1 gathered the data Maehado spoke of. These data were shared with Trustee Beamer, who extended the research. Rather than pointing fingers to past administrations, this new power block needs to piek the ball up and move on. Ms. Machado has been the vice chair of Budget and Finance since October and acting chair since January. Why has she not placed this on her agenda? I have called this to her attention several times and there has been no action! Mypoint? Therehasbeen enough finger pointing. It is time to move off the dime and get going. Show me someone who stands around pointing to the past, and I'll show you someone who is standing still ! ■

•!.-:> .. ■ * TRUSTEE MESSAGES

[?]