Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 14, Number 3, 1 March 1999 — Negotiations continue [ARTICLE]

Negotiations continue

By Ryan Mielke. PIO As the March 1 deadline eame and went for settlement of negotiations related to the case of Office of Hawaiian Affairs v.s\ State of Hawai 'i, some observers and bene - ficiaries began to hold their breath for a possible decision from the Hawai'i Supreme Court. But no decision was rendered as both sides of the negotiations continued their discussions in hopes of finding eommon ground. An ever-tenacious OHA negotiations team has vowed to stick to the process and remain open to opportunities to eome to agreement with state negotiators. "If anyone leaves the table, it's not going to be OHA," said OHA Board of Trustees Chairwoman Rowena Akana. "Our people have been in this fight for justice for too long, and we're not about to give up - now or ever." From the start, the door for settlement has always been held open. Early on in the negotiations it was OHA that suggested a mediator j take part in the negotiations process. It was the OHA representatives who called for weekly meetings with state negotiators rather than meeting intermittently. The negotiations are the result of the an appeal by the state to the Hawai'i Supreme Court. Justices urged both parties to See NEGOTIATIONS on page 14

NEGOTIATIONS

continued from page 1 eome to agreement and settle claims resulting from the 1996 decision by Circuit Judge Daniel Heely that states OHA is due revenue from Hilo Hospital patient and cafeteria services, 67 low-ineome housing developments and Duty Free Shoppers, Waikīkī. whose purchases are collected from Honolulu Airport, whieh is on ceded land.

Negotiations began īn earnest after a joint announeemenl July. 1999, by Governor Ben Cayetano and OHA trustees to negotiate claims related to the Heely decision. As of press time, OHA trustees have scheduled to meet March 1 1 to discuss ongoing negotiations with the state ■