Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 20, Number 2, 1 February 2003 — Restoration of ceded land revenues represents good faith, fairness by public policy makers [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

Restoration of ceded land revenues represents good faith, fairness by public policy makers

Aloha mai kākou e nā 'ōiwi 'ōlino, ua ao Hawai'i ke 'ōlino nei mālamalama. Mahalo and congratulations to all, kama'āina and malihini, who on Jan. 15 joined with the Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Hawaiian service institutions and agencies, nā pulapula, homesteaders, communitybased groups, haumāna of nā lei na'auao, nā pua no'eau, nā pūnana leo, nā kūpuna, nā makua, nā 'ōpio, nā 'ohana a pau, and all who are our "living nation". Back on Sept. 0, 2002, days before the primary eleetion, the Office of Hawaiians eonvened a media briefing in the board room of the trustees, joined by Hawaiian service institutions and agencies and community-based groups, to announee and launeh OHA's Hawaiian rights and entitlements education campaign. In media remarks, I noted that this campaign will consist of numerous activities and that among the objectives of this collective effort, "our campaign seeks to educate the eommunity and to remind the Legislature and the Executive branch about the state's constitutionally mandated obligation to

Hawaiians and the necessary reinstatement of ceded land payment to OHA to insure that Hawaiians received their full entitlements, to correct the injustices to the indigenous people of Hawai'i in order to advance Hawaiian self-determina-tion." Nā 'ōiwi 'ōlino, our eolleetive voice on the opening day of Legislature 2003, inspired legislative leadership, specifically Speaker of the House Representative Calvin Say to announee that "legislators have found a way to make a $10.3 million deferred payment expeditiously without having to go further through the legislative process." The Honolulu Advertiser, Jan. 16, 2003, further reported that, "inside the Capitol, House Speaker Say announced at the opening of the 2003 Legislature that the deferred payments to OHA,which in November was estimated at $10.3 million, could be made without new legislation." The article continued, "Say credited OHA Chairwoman Haunani Apoliona, Ezra Kanoho, ehainnan of the House Hawaiian Affairs committee and committee vice-chair Sol Kaho'ohalahala with working out a solution, saying,

through your efforts our obligations to the Hawaiian people will be fulfilled." The Advertiser continued by reporting Governor Lingle to say, "the debt ean be paid immediately because the revenue produced by harbors and other ceded lands already is accounted for in various special funds." And further that, "it's not new money that needs to be generated or found, the money is there it's just waiting to be paid." These revenues are not state tax funds nor general funds but payments of fees collected by the departments from lessees of the ceded lands. As of the writing of this article, January 20, 2003, OHA anxiously awaits the transfer of the (now) six quarters of ceded land revenue payments due, approximately $12 million. We applaud and commend our Legislature and our Executive branches for doing what is right, fair, and just in fulfilling statutory and constitutional obligations to native Hawaiians and Hawaiians. Restarting the "transfer" of ceded land revenue payments to OHA, whieh were illegally stopped by Governor Cayetano in 2001, is a

very significant demonstration of "good-faith" and "fairness" by publie policy makers and politicians that our Hawaiian community has awaited nearly a decade to see reemerge. Intermediate and longer term future policy decisions relating to ceded land revenues, the public land trust and the emerging Hawaiian governance entity will require spiritual strength, focus, discipline, aloha, and an even higher level and demonstration of "good faith" and "fairness" from all parties, IF justice and reconciliation for native Hawaiians and Hawaiians between the United States IS to be the ultimate objective. Queen Lili'uokalani instructs us, "the world ean not stand still. We must advance or recede. Let us advance together. Hold thy breath ... walk shoulder to shoulder." E nā 'ōiwi 'ōlino, let us advance together, shoulder to shoulder, in our responsible mission of leadership and selfdetermination to whieh we have been called and dedicated for generations into the future. E ho'omau kākou, e nā 'ōiwi 'ōlino me ke aloha a me ke ahonui. 26/48 ■

Haunani Apoliona, MSW 9 Trustee, At-large