Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 12, Number 2, 1 February 1995 — HSEC criticisms [ARTICLE]

HSEC criticisms

The Hawaiian Sovereignty Elections Council has adopted

the rules for the 1996 plebiscite with no substantial changes after reviewing the testimony from the public hearings convenienlly held during īhe 1994 Christmas holidays primarily during working hours. A number of minor questions were heard during the hearings: "How ean we accept the OHA voter registration as Ihe base for the plebiscite when we have known for years non-Hawaiians have been accidentally voting in the OHA elections?" "Is this really self-detennination? You keep on saying we can't do that because it is against state policy." "If the vote is NO. won't the State and United States use that to continue controlling our lund and resources and to effectively kill the Hawaiian sovereignty movement?" "Aren't we being manipulated by HSEC to fail?" "If there is proven voter fraud in the plebiscite, what are the exact penalties?" "Why are there no requirements to prove that thc

voter is Hawaiian, a descendant of ka po'e Hawai'i who were here in Hawai'i prior to 1778?" "Why do 30 Hawaiians have to file a eomplainl to challenge the plebiscite vote when only one ean challenge a state or federal election?" "Why ean'l we have more education? We don't undcrstand the impael of the plebiscite." HSEC's budget request this year is for over one million dollars. The $600,000 already allocated in last year's budget will be used to promote the plebiscite. īt is marvelous that there is so mueh money available to fund enterprises of such great benefit to whoever the Hawaiians are. Lela Hubbard 'Aie