Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 17, Number 2, 1 February 2000 — Huli 1999; i mua 2000 [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

Huli 1999; i mua 2000

N LATE 1998 after the elections, it was obvious I no longer hael the majority necessary to eonhnue as chair of the Board of Trustees. As the new majority organized, it heeame even clearer that Akana would be chair. My few years of experience with Akana gave me grave concems about her inability to lead and vindictive style. I could not and would not support her chairmanship. Christmas of 1998 saw a slash and bum mentality when five good people were terminated, their famihes' lots cast to the winds. Fear reigned supreme amongst staff; you were either in, or out, depending on your pohtics. Because I did not support Akana, I was treated with maliee, vengeance, animosity and hate. I was discriminated against with mahcious intent, whieh impacted on me physically. Remember, this is the woman whom Bob Rees labeled "the boa constrictor with jewelry!" Since OHA's inception, ah trustees have been encouraged to attend conventions, seminars, cultural activities, educational forums and the like, especiahy when the Office of Hawaiian Affairs has co-spon-sored the event. We have always budgeted

tmstees ean attend. However, all of my apphcations to attend these kinds of functions were summarily denied by Akana for inconsistent and arbitrary reasons or, many times, no reason at all, only her aide's verbal eommunieahon. Mahalo Akua for the administrators of the World Indigenous Peoples Conference on Education who invited me to attend their eon-

ference and paid my expenses. I am grateful to have witnessed and been a small part of a significant cultural event like none other. I had apphed three times to the chair and my apphcations were ah denied. Additionally, Akana asked aU trastees to let her secretary know if they wanted to be present during the oral arguments in Rice vs. Cayetano before the United States Supreme Court. She also indicated in the same memo that she would not approve any apphcations for a kāko'o, whieh directly impacted on my abihty to attend, as I am post-stroke and physically unable to wheel myself around. The result, of course, was I could not attend! I did not attend! You know, many times I have thought that I have witnessed quite a lot in my life but I must admit to some naivete. But in 1999, 1 was shocked by the arrest of a kupuna; character assassinations where members dared disagree; hbelous, filthy name-calhng; eommon decency thrown out the door; hes, and stories fabricated as trath with no basis in fact; and diplomacy

spat-on - aU condoned by leadership. At this point you're probably asking yourself, "Why is she telling us this?" I'm teUing you this because it may help you to understand a httle of why this trustee agrees that Akana's inabihty to lead has reaUy cost OHA and the Hawaiian community. Severe damage control and repair are urgently needed. We need to move forward. For the record, The Honolulu Advertiser's Jan. 7 editorial hsts more of Akana's diatribe that exhibits her tendency to selfaggrandize at any cost. Case in point, she now attacks past members of her majority, Hee and Springer. Step aside with some dignity, Akana. Take responsibihty for your own actions. It is not everybody else's fault. Five members of the BOT out of eight have said lawa, pau already. We now have a strong chair who beheves aU trastees should have a paddle to help get the eanoe through this rough water to the other side. We now have some hope, and one of my New Year's resolutions is the support our steersman Clayton Hee. Happy New Year and good health to you and yours always. ■

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TRUSTEE M ESSAGES

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