Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 22, Number 12, 1 December 2005 — Much productivity and community involvement this year [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

Much productivity and community involvement this year

Aloha kākou. Mele Kalikimaka a Hau'oli Makahiki Hou! I am reviewing this past year and I think the state of Hawai'i, OHA, DHHL, Kamehameha Schools and the Hawaiian coimnunities in Hawai 'i and on the mainland have worked very hard and accomplished mueh in the past year. The court cases challenging Hawaiians are pending with no rulings as of yet. Kamehameha Schools seems to be successful in garnering support for the schools' admissions policy. The Legislature and our governor have worked together on many issues despite the many controversies. DHHL has made many families happy by awarding new lots on Lāna'i, Maui and Hawai'i. The OHA Akaka Bill Forums on television, in the newspapers and in coimnunity meetings have been successful on all sides of the issues. That was the point: all sides had some time to share their thoughts to eaeh other. Sen. Colleen Hanabusa, Rep. Scott Saiki and U.S. Rep. Ed Case have been to the Big Island to hear what our coimnunities have to say about what is important to us. Rep. Cindy Evans and Councihnan Pete Hoffmann from Waikōloa are working hard with the South Kohala coimnunities

to find solutions to all the impacts and challenges that are on the horizon, like having the Superferry in 2009 without infrastructure, traffic, water and cultural issues. Eaeh resident should attend at least one of these meetings and share their concerns. Hawaiians are so used to "letting the other guy do it" or complaining late; a probable reason why solutions take so long to achieve. The Wainiea Community Association and the Wainiea Development Design Plan is presently holding monthly meetings to gather resident concerns about reviewing the Hawai'i County General Plan changes. I have been attending these meetings also and have assigned staff as well because I want to meet with our beneficiaries to find out how OHA ean help. When the West Hawai'i Today newspaper prints articles claiming that OHA is not in the conununity, they are misinformed. By next year, we should have our Hilo and Kona offices fully staffed and ready to go out into the conmiunities. We continue to provide applications for the Hawaiian Registry and Kau Inoa and invite you all to visit our offices. May the blessings of the season be with you all. A hui hou kākou. □

Linda K. Dela Cruz