Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 25, Number 1, 1 January 2008 — New SHPD leader [ARTICLE]

New SHPD leader

An Office of Hawaiian Affairs staff member is part of a transition team that is conducting a search to find a new chief administrator for the State Historic Preservation Division (SHPD). Included in the three-person team, appointed by the Department of Land and Natural Resources, are OHA speeial assistant to the administrator Stanton Enomoto, Kaho'olawe Island Reserve Conunission attorney Rowena Somerville, and SHPD architecture branch manager Bryan Flower. Melanie Chinen quit the top job at SHPD on Dec. 7 following mounting criticism of her management style from former employees and several archeological and burial organizations. Mueh of the criticism of Chinen involved her division's handling of iwi discovered during land development projects. Protection of iwi is an OHA mandate under constitutional law that also guarantees the protection of historic sites and associated cultural practices. OHA provides consultation following the discovery of iwi or any other evidence of historic significance of land and property.