Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 15, Number 10, 1 October 1998 — ʻ98 candidates in focus [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

ʻ98 candidates in focus

The views and opinions expressed in '98 candidates infocus are of the individual candidates and do not necessarily reflect those of the Offlce of Hawaiian Affairs.

Watch "Corruption in Hawai'i." Tell your friends to watch too! How ean we give the youth of today and generations to eome something to believe in? You deserve to know the truth about OHA. Have you ever watched "Corruption in Hawai'i?" Wongham fights corruption, fights for Hawaiian rights. He is an advocate for justice. Are you tired of OHA egos? State of Hawai'i insiders? Government meddling? You deserve open, unrestricted public hearings into ceded land issues, OHA mismanagement, govemment conspiracies, favoritism and insider dealing. You deserve access to OHA money. You deserve access to OHA meetings. You deserve access to Hawaiian lands. You deserve access to know the truth. You ean talk to Wongham. He will listen and take decisive action. Call GREG at 95 1 - 6299. Why do you want to be an OHA trustee? Native Hawaiians are at a critical crossroads. We ean either continue to plaee our hopes in broken treaties and empty promises, or we ean take charge of our own destiny. 1 want to help provide a vision of what OHA could be: a strong, respected, stable resource that funds health. educational, vocational, I social. eeonomie and cultural programs that improve the quality of life for all 1 Native Hawaiians. A good plaee to start is with more partnerships between OHA and other organizations that serve Native Hawaij ians, such as Queen Lili'uokalani Children's Center, Kamehameha Schools, i Papa Ola Lōkahi, E Ola Mau, Lunalilo Home, DHHL, Alu Like and Bishop Museum. What qualities wouid you bring to the position? Experience. I have actively participated in numerous organizations dedicated to Hawaiian causes: • Friends of Kamehameha Schools, established in 1964 to oppose the Land Reform Act and any other attempts to reduce KSBE assets or its ability to educate as many Hawaiian children as possible. • Congress of Hawaiian People. Helped in the formation of this group and produced a 1 982 history report published as "Politics, Hawai'i Sandalwood Trees and Hope." • Council of Hawaiian Organizations, produced "Hawaiian Constitutions

Greg Wongham will provide effective leadership, stop the theft of ceded land, fight to stop poliūeal cronyism, offer education regarding Hawaiian equities, support legal defense for Hawaiian claims. They say that OHA is your Office of Hawaiian Affairs. Let's bring back our equitable rights. Vote Greg Wongham OHA trustee. How do you establish a process by whieh OHA money and lands are made more accessible to Hawaiians? How do you accomplish this so that people will gain confidence in what they have learned and understand about money and land? Greg Wongham says, "The key to breaking the grip of the state on OHA is to create an educated consensus." That ean be established by teaching our eommunity the principles of equity. Then we will vote as an educated group. Ask Greg Wongham what is his plan. Why does he think it's important? Is this just another loophole in the law? Has it

Granting Laws, Land Divisions and Awards" as a rebuttal to the 1983 Native Hawaiian Study Commission report findings that Hawaiians were not entitled to compensation for loss of their sovereignty, land or culture. • Western Pacific Fisheries Management Council, between 1 976 and 1 986, worked to preserve marine resources in the Pacific. Produced reports on the status of marine populations and the steps needed to protect them from excessive harvesting. • Commission for the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands, commissioner, 1978- 1987. • Queen Lili'uokalani Children's Center, advisory eouneil member, 1978 - 1993. • Sovereignty Advisory Council, appointed by the governor in 1994. • Hawaiian Sovereignty Elections Council. appointed by the governor in 1996. • Native Hawaiian Advisory Council, director since 1996 and current treasurer. NHAC focuses on traditional water rights of Native Hawaiians and how they ean aflfect contemporary water allocation issues such as Waiāhole Ditch and Hāmākua water diversion project. A solid background in historical events surrounding the overthrow. Ability to interact with others with dignity and respect. What do you consīder the most important issues confronting the Office of Hawaiian Affairs and/or the Hawaiian people?

been tested legally? Show me how it has been proven successful? How does your plan work? Do you have the experience to make it work? What are the principles of equity? Why hasn't anyone else talked about equities? How does it affect OHA? Why should OHA trustees understand equities? How ean a better process of self sufficiency be established? How will this affect sovereignty? Wongham does not owe his allegiance to any one particular hui. Wongham treats everyone as equals. He listens. He calls it like he sees it. At least you know where he's coming from. They saved the best for last Wongham. He's on the ballot just before XYZ. Watch "Corruption in Hawai'i" on cable TV. 'Ōlelo Hawai'i Channel 54, 6 p.m., Sunday, Ho'o'ike Kaua'i/Akakū, Maui, Nā Leo o Hawai'i, Hawai'i. ■

First, it's time for OHA to fully support efforts that enable Native Hawaiians to determine what form of governance they want for themselves and their descendants. The existing window of opportunity to gain widespread support for Hawaiian self-determination and compensation is getting smaller as you read this. As an OHA trustee, I would advocate that OHA fund (not conduct) plebiscites, elections and conventions that result in a definitive vote by Native Hawaiians on whether or not they want sovereignty, and what form it should take. Second, any plans for the future wellbeing of Hawaiians will require significant assets and financial resources. The ownership and ineome allocation of ceded lands must be resolved. As an OHA trustee. how would you resolve those concerns? As an OHA trustee, I would aggressively pursue reclamation and payment of all past, present and future ceded land revenues due Hawaiians. If you could only accomplish one goal as an OHA trustee, what would it be? I would be content with securing all the assets and ineome due Native Hawaiians and protecting them in perpetuity from county, state and federal taxes, eondemnation and other threats so they ean generate ineome to benefit current and future generations. ■

Ureg Wonghara At-Large

Louis K. Agard, Jr. O'ahu