Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 25, Number 8, 1 August 2008 — OHA leaders lighting the way [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

OHA leaders lighting the way

£ A no'ai Kākou, / \ A eouple of years ago A. sat at a focus group session behind a glass two-way mirror and observed a dozen citizens of all nationalities answer questions and comment on Hawaiian issues. Amongst the questions were those pertaining to the Office of Hawaiian Affairs and what the group knew about OHA. The response, though four years into my time here at OHA, was somewhat surprising to me. I believed that with the change in Trustees and leadership the Board had become a more professional and responsible one, addressing our fiduciary duties as opposed to constantly wearing our political hats as in the past. I would have thought the responses to be that OHA has changed and presents a more positive image to the community. No such thing. The responses were simply that most did not know what OHA did but did know that the Board was always fighting. When asked what time period they were talking about the response was in the '90s. When asked about today, they professed ignorance. The point here is that for the most part the current Board of Trustees for OHA has successfully, under the leadership of Haunani Apoliona, navigated difficult waters and become a responsible, educated and professional group whose focus has been on how best to better the lot of Hawaiians of all backgrounds and positions. Fiscally, politically, administratively, strategically and legally, the Board has progressed light years and with faith, supported by works, our efforts will continue. And people should know that OHA is doing its job, perhaps too quietly and maybe on the unseen side of the mirror, but still, getting it done, and done well. Although we lost the ceded lands repayment bill whieh would have

given Hawaiians this year $200 million in assets to be applied to helping our people, we will continue to seek legislative approval of our settlement proposal. To the naysayers, I say understand that OHA doesn't hire the best attorneys to advise us for nothing. OHA Board experience is at a considerably higher level than ever before. OHA has worked for more than four years on this settlement. The House was for the bill. The Governor was for the bill. The OHA Board was for the bill. Hawaiians were for the bill. No Board had ever gotten closer for 30 years, but now we liek our wounds and start over again. And to demonstrate the quality of our attorneys I might note three recent rulings: in OHA vs. HCDCH, Sherry Broder and Bill Meheula successfully obtained a unanimous State Supreme Court decision precluding the sale of ceded lands by the State; in Day vs. Apoliona, former Justice Robert Klein succeeded in having the case dismissed against OHA where 50 percenters were seeking to stop OHA expenditures on less than 50 percenters; again in Kuroiwa vs. Lingle, Justice Klein prevailed on a motion to dismiss the case against non-Hawaiians suing OHA for unconstitutional spending of funds. Jon Van Dyke and Melodie MacKenzie at the UH Law School, Sheryl Nicholson and Colin Yost in regards to LLCs and the military, and Ernie Kimoto and his staff at OHA and our attorneys in Washington, D.C., continue to offer key information, guidance and advice to OHA. When our own people criticize OHA for poor decisions, be aware that we don't act without careful deliberation and discussion with our attorneys and our hard-working administrative staff led capably by Clyde Nāmu'o and his deputies, Mona Bernardino and Ron Mun. These administrators take a lotta heat, and I for one appreciate all they do. With all of this support, you ean rest assured that OHA will be prudent in its actions and decisions and that we will always seek to have the best advice available upon whieh to make our decisions. □

Bnyd P. Mūssman TrustEE, Maui