Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 9, Number 11, 1 November 1992 — OHA Trustee's Views [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

OHA Trustee's Views

Ka mana 'o o na Kahu Waiwai pakahi

(This eolumn is open to all OHA trustees to express their individual views and does not necessarily represent the official position of the OHA board of trustees.)

Aloha Moloka'i

by Louis Hao Trustee, Moloka'i & Lana'i

Who I am I express in this eolumn. Over the past year I have shared my mana'o with you, and as you know, the subjects that have been discussed are lissnp.s rhaf I

feel must be addressed. Let us review some of my articles: "Proud to be Hawaiians" shows you my philosophy. We Hawaiians have been some of the greatest philanthropists. It is time for Hawaiians to also receive their fair share. "No Hawaiians should be homeless." I believe housing is one of the most critical needs today — we seem to be no better off today than we were back "then" (1920). I support the Office of Hawaiian Affairs' commitment and direction to move forward to explore all opportunities for bousing programs for all Hawaiians so they have the opportunity to obtain afordable housing. "Hawaiians seek what is just and fair." I know Hawaiians, like the Plains Indians, have suffered and have been left with the worst lands. I must concur that what happened to the Native Americans has happened to us Hawaiians. We eoniinue to focus our attention on the injustices placed on the Hawaiian people, such as the illegal overthrow and the take-over of our ceded lands. All that we seek is what isjust and fair. "Putting Hawaiian language in the forefront." I feel that the education of our children needs to include the Hawaiian

language, culture and arts. The Constitution of the State of Hawaii proclaims the Hawaiian language as one of the official languages of the state. I strongly support the Hawaiian Language Immersion Program. "Hawaiian Sovereignty." To me, Hawaiian sovereignty begins with the individual. Eaeh of us achieves our own sovereignty by our cultural upbringing, whieh helps us to determine who we are and where we are going. Mueh has been said about sovereignty and more will be said in the next decade. The result will likely unite the Hawaiian people in a eommon cause so that we ean address the needs of our people. Some of these needs are health care, housing, education, eeonomie development, land issues, cultural concerns, and, of course, self-governance. We ean at least agree for now that we Hawaiians were onee a proud and sovereign nation, that we had our own laws and spiritual beliefs. We had independence. Hopefully, 1993 will give us the opportunity for a Hawaiian constitutional convention to work out a proper and just constitution expressing the mana'o of all Hawaiians. "Keep Hawaiian justice in Hawaiian hands." I believe OHA sbould incorporate its own legal services of Hawaiian lawyers — a battery of attorneys paid for by OHA and loyal to OHA for bettering the conditions of all Hawaiians. Presently, OHA contracts legal services through Native Hawaiian Legal Corp., and also contracts out a number of legal services to address tnistee concems and administrative issues. Other attomeys are hired by OHA to address the federal claims, particularly the federal ceded land issues. Also, OHA uses the state Attomey General's Office. This approach creates a conflict because the Attomey General is basically loyal to

the state of Hawai'i, whieh may not be in the best interests of the Hawaiian people. Therefore, to keep Hawaiian justice in Hawaiian hands, OHA should direct appropriate funding for in-house legal services for the trustees. "We need to know" that the state of Hawai'i is failing to fulfill its trust obligation to OHA in that the eheek for the amount of $112 million is only for publicity purposes. All we will receive of that is $5 million at this time. The rest of the money may be drawn with land and/or money depending on the negotiations between the governor's office and OHA and funding by the state Legislature. I strongly feel that if OHA decides to buy back the lands we already own, we are admitting that we never owned the lands to begin with. We must share our knowledge and work for solutions. Let's keep ourselves informed so that no one ean fool us. We don't want to be on tbe short end of the stick any more. This we know!! "Aloha Moloka'P' What was to be a one-year stay on Molokai lasted 22 years. I arrived in Moloka'i March 1, 1971. I knew only a few people. I eame to Moloka'i to coordinate the delivery of state human services, as#an appointee of the laie Gov. John A. Bums. Later, I served under the Cravalho administration as Elmer's executive assistant, and in a cabinet post as Maui County Parks and Recreation Director. Soon thereafter, I served under Mayor Hannihal Tavares for eleven years as the Moloka'i County Services Administrator. Two years into Mayor Linda Lingle's administration, she decided to relocate me to the island of Maui to assist in the county eapital improvement projects (CIP) effective August 9, 1992. This is one reason why I

am not seeking the Moloka'i island trusteeship'in this upcoming eleehon. I truly aloha Moloka'i. Here are some of the projects I coordinated on Moloka'i: OHA activities (as trustee from Moloka'i): • $30,000 grant to file a elaim against the state of Hawai'i for the Cattle Eradication Program; • Established OHA's entrepreneurship training program on Moloka'i; • Grant in aid to respective eeonomie development projects on Moloka'i; • Grants program for the Moloka'i Diet Study, the Moloka'i Taro Conference, the Moloka'i Fish Pond Conference, the Moloka'i Community-Based Eeonomie Development Project (CBED), and Moloka'i Kuhio Day Celebration Committee, Hale-0-Na-Ali'i, Ka'ahumanu Society's Hula Halau, etc.; • Assisted Ka Lahui Hawai'i and the Moloka'i delegation in its first convention in Keaukaha, Hawai'i, with OHA funds, and respective fundraisers; • All other OHA services available to Moloka'i Hawaiians as well as to Hawaiians throughout the state. Community Activities (as a community leader): • RSVP (Retired Senior Volunteer Program) on Moloka'i; • Moloka'i Volleyball Association offieial; • Maui Community College Advisory Council — curriculum expansions; • Moloka'i Institute of Agriculture (MIA); • Lokahi Pacific ine. Loan Programs. Molokai Task Force (as ehaiiman): Aided in developing the foUowing: Ho'olehua Ag Park (990 acres); Pu'u Hau'oli Low-Ineome Housing (90 units); continued page 38

Trustee Hao from page 36

Home Pumehana Elderly Housing (70 units); Moloka'i Civic Center. Federal projects: (EDA) water line to East Moloka'i; Farmers cooperative cooling plant; Pala'au Industrial Complex (currently in planning stage); West Moloka'i development — the Kaluakoi Hotel, etc.; Maunaloa Recreation Center (assisted by Marianno Acoba); Kualapu'u Del Monte Employees Home Ownership (105 units); agricultural training programs for DHHL homesteaders; soil residue study of former pineapple lands; cattle restoration program ($75,000); agricultural revolving loan program ($250,000); manpower training programs. Health Services (as trustee of Moloka'i General Hospital): •24-Hour Ambulance Service — Physicians' Ambulance Services; •Queen's Hospital take-over of Moloka'i General Hospital; Heahh and Emergency Services — (as Chairman of Moloka'i Health Planning Task Force): •improved dental services through the U.S. Marines, state dental services and private practices; •increased state staffmg of various depart-

ments; •involvement of UH Medical School at Moloka'i General, etc.; •air amhulanee services; •civil defense. The above are some of the projects that I have been involved with on Moloka'i that I remember. The people of Moloka'i are the besf and the island is the most Hawaiian of all the islands. I eame to Moloka'i as a stranger and now I know most of the 6,000 people; if not, they now know who I am. I have served the people of Moloka'i as best I ean. I must apologize for not living up to my record of accomplishments in the last two years. My job description and responsibilities under the new mayoral administration changed. This is mv fulltime iob. Also, my mother's illness followed by her untimely death necessitated my spending mueh time in Hilo. The people of Moloka'i have been kind to me and Moloka'i is truly the friendly island. I eame to Moloka'i as a stranger, and now I am part of Moloka'i. We are one together and I must say "goodbye." Aloha Moloka'i