Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 1, Number 1, 1 October 1980 — New Economic Opportunities [ARTICLE]

New Economic Opportunities

by Bruce Keppeler, President Hawaiian Businessmen's Association While we're very mueh aware of the other opportunities promised by the establishment of the Office of Hawaiian Affairs (OHA), the members of the Hawaiian Businessmen's Association are most enthusiastic about the role OHA ean play in the betterment of the eeonomie lot of the Hawaiian People. Since its foundingin 1974, the Hawaiian Businessmen's Association has quietly advised a number of Hawaiian entrepreneurs of the pitfalls that all of us have faced while pursuing careers as independent business people. In 1975, the Association sponsored a study whieh produced a report entitled Hawaiian in Management: A Social and Eeonomie Profile by John S. Homer. The report, set in a historical perspective, showed that an everincreasing number of Hawaiians were entering the ranks of business and its management in Hawaii. In his foreward to the report, Dr. George S. Kanahele said: "In 1 975 . . . there is growing evidence that a significant change in the occupational pattern of Hawaiians is taking plaee. As more Hawaiians become better educated, as they become more modernized, competitive, acquisitive and success-oriented, more and more are becoming businessmen. . . . It is an important change, not only for the Hawaiian community, but for the community at large as well. It means that Hawaiians ean now play a mueh larger role in shaping their own eeonomie destiny as well as that of the State as a whole." It was in this context that the Association welcomed the amendment of Hawaii's Constitution in 1978. Significant were the establishment of OHA and the amendments to the Hawaiian Homes Commission provisions. The Hawaiian Businessmen's Association anticipates that OHA must play a major role in developing practical and effective programs whieh will aid Hawaiian entrepreneurs . . . and businessmen of other ethnic backgrounds who pledge themselves to the creation of new employment opportunities for Hawaiians. We know that a large number of governmental agencies stand ready to render aid. For example, at the federal level, the Office of Minority Business Enterprises, the Small Business Administration and the Office of Native American Programs have offered andwill cp,ntinue tp(offer

aid and assistance to Hawaiians. OHA will find these agencies eager (within resources) to help in the creation of new eeonomie opportunities for Hawaiians. Other eeonomie development programs ean be tapped. They are too numerous to mention here. State and County agencies stand ready to kokua, too. For instance, the 1978 amendments to the Hawaiian Homes provisions mandate that lands, not needed for homestead purposes (and designated for leasing out to the general public to raise funds for the Hawaiian Homes Program), be first offered to Native Hawaiians or organizations or associations (such as corporations or partnerships) owned or controlled by Native Hawaiians. Here, Native Hawaiian means half-Hawaiian or more. Similarly, the private sector ean be motivated to join in the effort. It's good public relations. Besides, it ean be profitable for them. Many of the members of the Hawaiian Businessmen's Association have found that certain of the banks have been eager to help Hawaiian entrepreneurs through loans for business capital. OHA ean play a coordinating role for these programs, joining hands with the administrators of governmental programs and the business leaders in the private sector. OHA ean develop new efforts such as loan guarantee programs and loan programs of its own. With OHA's money resources growing in the future, it should be able to throw its financial and eeonomie weight around so as to benefit the Hawaiian and his eeonomie position in the Hawaii of the future. No bank desirous of attracting a depositor like OHA will refuse to consider seriously a request that loan programs for Hawaiian business ventures be developed. Business consulting services to Hawaiians seeking to start their own businesses or to improve the profitability of businesses they already own might be funded by OHA. Management training seminars for Hawaiians at submanagement levels could be instituted. Apprenticeship training and advanced education in various trades could be implemented. The list of possibilities goes on and on. The Hawaiian Businessmen's Association stands ready to give all of the support it ean muster to help OHA implement any program whieh will achieve any significant quantum of enhaneement of the eeonomie lot of our Hawaiian People. We 9an\estly offer.our kQkua,( ( ,•