Editorials
Wednesday, June 18, 1997WHEN Bernice Pauahi Bishop stated in her will that the sole beneficiary of her estate was to be the Kamehameha Schools, she obviously meant the students who would attend the schools. The state Attorney General's Office and a newly incorporated group, Na Pua a Ke Ali'i Pauahi, agree. Kamehameha family
should receive reportNow the group's concern over the Bishop Estate trustees who oversee the schools has ended up in the courtroom. Na Pua -- comprised of Kamehameha students, parents and alumni -- is interested in the five trustees' authority and effectiveness. It has made two very reasonable requests of Circuit Judge Virginia Crandall.
While the group has no objection to the trustees' appointment of retired Circuit Judge Patrick Yim as a third-party fact-finder, it wants a reputable educational entity to assist in the process. Furthermore, Na Pua is asking that the report be shared with its members, because of the "pervasiveness and seriousness" of the turmoil at Kamehameha.
Yim, who has no experience in running a school and has been hand-picked by the trustees, could benefit from the guidance of an educator from the Western Association of Schools and Colleges or the National Association of Independent Schools during this investigation.
As for Na Pua's request that the final report be shared with the trust's beneficiaries, why should such valuable information be only for the eyes of Chairman Richard Wong and trustees Gerard Jervis, Lokelani Lindsey, Henry Peters and Oswald Stender, when the entire Hawaiian community is affected?
RELATIONS with Iran have never been good since the overthrow of the shah in 1979 and the seizure of hostages at the U.S. embassy in Tehran, but they are now likely to become worse. Defense Secretary William Cohen announced that Iran has been testing aerial-launched anti-ship cruise missiles, strengthening Iran's capability to attack shipping in the Persian Gulf. A warning for Iran
The recent election of a supposed moderate, Mohammad Khatami, as president of Iran has sparked cautious optimism that an improvement in relations may be attainable. But Cohen has asserted, and properly so, that the Clinton administration will not ease its stance until Iran ends its support for terrorism, gives up trying to develop nuclear weapons and stops trying to undermine the Middle East peace process. At this point, the outlook is not encouraging, but Washington should explore whatever opportunities arise to improve relations.
RECENT elections in Britain and Ireland that brought new governments into office raised hopes for a resumption of talks to bring an end to centuries-old violence between Irish Catholics and Protestants. But the killing of two policemen in Northern Ireland by IRA guerrillas has dashed hopes of a renewed cease-fire and raised doubts about the wisdom of President Clinton's policy toward the IRA. The IRA strikes again
The peace process has been dogged by bloodshed since the end of an IRA cease-fire in February 1996. The latest killings are a bloody slap in the face for Blair and his friend in the White House. Blair is probably right that they constitute an attempt to sabotage peace talks. As long as the killings continue, the IRA cannot be awarded a seat at the bargaining table.
Rupert E. Phillips, CEO
John M. Flanagan, Editor & Publisher
David Shapiro, Managing Editor
Diane Yukihiro Chang, Senior Editor & Editorial Page Editor
Frank Bridgewater & Michael Rovner, Assistant Managing Editors
A.A. Smyser, Contributing Editor
