Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 16, Number 1, 1 January 1999 — Reorganization [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

Reorganization

ALOHA NUI, e nā 'ōiwi Hawai'i to this 29th article in a series of 46. On Nov. 24, in eomphanee with the Hawai'i statute, the OHA BOT organized. With a 6-3 vote, Rowena Akana was elected chair. Akana, Hao, Hee, Keale, Springer and Trask voted in favor; Apoliona, DeSoto and Machado voted against. Due to Trustee Akana's laek of a defined vision for the BOT and her pre-committed assignment of the Budget and Finance Committee chairmanship to Trustee Hee, I voted no. However, I congratulate Trustee Akana on her selection as chair and wish her well. Since taking my oath of office on Jan. 10, 1997, 1 have had the opportunity to work closely with Rowena. We have agreed on several issues, and, disagreed on as many. I wish her strength and wisdom. The Oct. 14, 1997 BOT reorganization removed Chair Clayton Hee and Vice-Chair Abraham Aiona. Since then, the

board has boldly moved on reforms wanted by Hawaiian people. We embraced their calls for improvement, discipline, openness, clarity, accountability and a clear ehain of command. Trustee DeSoto's efforts are to be commended. OHA's board made important headway in responding to beneficiary needs. Enhanced staffing for improved efficiency in the distribution of community grants is in plaee. After languishing since 1994, the affordable rental project for our kūpuna is closer to groundbreaking in Waimānalo due to October BOT action. We have pushed for BOT and administrative fiscal accountabihty through investment workshops and budget review processes providing full disclosure of information to all tmstees for decision-making. This resulted in termination of FHS and budget approvals ahead of deadlines. Thanks to Trustee DeSoto's leadership, the two trustee vacancies of 1998 were open to all apphcants. BOT review and dehberation remained accessible to all beneficiaries. While the

replacement activity for Trustee Beamer fueled "intense media attention," defaulting to the govemor's intervention, replacement of Tmstee Aiona was eompleted quickly without fanfare,

ironicahy, by the identical process. Next steps: • Craft a comprehensive Native Hawahan Master Plan in

partnership with Hawaiian organizations, integrahng skihs and resources to benefit our people. • Negotiate a fair "past due" revenue package with Governor Cayetano for legislative ratification, without compromising the rights of our beneficiaries; • Seek beneficiary input to fashion a "prospective" strategy on ceded lands and ceded lands revenues; • Remedy OHA's underfunding of the Educahon Foundation, estabhshed by the BOT in 1992; and, • Formulate a role in support of our Hawahan people's quest for self-govemance and self-suf-ficiency. On Dec. l,the OHA BOT reorganized the Commihee for Entitlements and Negotiahons (EN), to eonhnue former Chair DeSoto, Apohona and Campos. Members Akana, Hee, Trask and altemate Hao were proposed for the EN. However, Akana, Hee, Trask, with DeSoto as altemate won BOT approval. The chair Tmstee Akana and the vice chair Tmstee Hee were

approved by five tmstees on Dec. 17. AddihonaUy, at the Dec. 8 BOT meeting I stated, "I beheve the alternate member on the Entitlement and Negotiahons Committee should be afforded every opportunity to participate in strategy meehngs with OHA's legal and technical team." Alternate member DeSoto must be kept current on aU strategies in order to step into any negotiations meeting. Further, the EN chair must inform Trustee DeSoto of meeting dates and times and debriefing her on meehngs where she is not present. All Tmstees must be aware of strategies, details and matters requiring decisions. The Board must remain on course. A retum to the old way of doing business, pre-Oct 14, 1997, would be the worst thing for OHA and its beneficiaries. I will eonhnue to push for reform and accountabihty and I hope that the new leadership wiU adopt this vision with equal enthusiasm. We must eonhnue in 1999 to produce responsible and equitable results for the 21st century. ■

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TRUSTEE MESSAGES

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