Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 27, Number 10, 1 October 2010 — LEONA MAPUANA KALIMA [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

LEONA MAPUANA KALIMA

1. The economy and its ravages. We must financially assist by developing foreclosure intervention programs, diverse job training and educational scholarships, feed the hungry, house the homeless, etc. How ean one dream of nationhood when worried about their everyday needs. I would work with the

resources of OHA, other organizations, agencies and individuals to bring tangible improvements to meet the critical needs of our people. Re-educate, rehabilitate, reinvest in our people, their skills, their hopes and dreams. I have a MEGAPlan and the "A" stands for Assisting with Poverty. 2. With or without the Native Hawaiian Reorganization Act, we, as a people, as a Lāhui in Action, must congregate Native Hawaiian community by Native Hawaiian community to educate, discuss, learn, debate and agree on the subject of nation building. We have all the elements to bring this to flourishing and are overdue on the implementation. First, all those with personal and hidden agendas must lay it down for the bettennent of all our Native Hawaiians; bring your mana'o to the table, be prepared to answer the hard questions and implement a democratic process for fairness. Be objective. Second, we must take a personal stake in the process and study the knowledge of nationhood. Our ancestors are guiding and our future generations are depending on us to blaze the trail that will be walked by all. Third, OHA's role is to: assist in the facilitation including gathering the people and implement the process, fund the process, take an active role in the process without bias. OHA's original mission was developed to act as a pro tem organization until the Native Hawaiian governing entity is formulated, a transition plan implemented and OHA's assets are transferred into this Nation body. 3. In one aspect, the ceded land issue has been impacted by the Supreme SEE KALIMA ON PAGE 6

KALIMA Continued from page 4

Court opinion. Past history has shown gubernatorial candidates campaign promises are null and void, onee elected. Therefore, we must eome to the negotiation table with a preconceived opinion and hopeful intentions. Nevertheless, OHA must stand steadfast and continue to negotiate to resolve the overdue and future payments. The state must eome to an agreement because we are not going away. There is a fonnula, whieh is standard rule, 20

percent of what, there is no comprehensive ceded land inventory. Overdue and Needed. More land, better land for reinvestment via the OHA portfolio that will produce housing and eeonomie opportunity. A reasonable payment plan that will not suffer the state's fiscal crisis and increase as the economy improves. I would ask to be on the negotiating team. I have studied mediation, counseling and ho'oponopono with a keen sense of negotiation that will bring fairness to all involved.