By Dennis Oda, Star-Bulletin
People pick up informational packets about the candidates
running for election for the Office of Hawaiian Affairs during
a public forum held last night .

OHA candidate
forum draws just
100 voters

Most prospects ask for
'no' votes on Con Con

By Mary Adamski
Star-Bulletin

About 100 of the 100,000 people registered to vote for Office of Hawaiian Affairs trustees heard candidates seeking five seats answer questions on issues and underscore their qualifications at a forum sponsored by the Hawaiian Political Action Committee.

The 26 candidates who spoke last night were nearly unanimous in their opposition to another matter on the Nov. 3 ballot, the prospect of a Constitutional Convention.

Most of the non-incumbents said OHA could do more for Hawaiians than it's done since it was created by the 1978 Constitutional Convention. But even the factionalized incumbents complied with the opening prayer urging speakers to avoid friction and "put evil thoughts and anger aside" -- a rare spirit compared to recent board meetings.

Darrow Aiona, one of 25 people seeking three at-large seats, said there are many newcomers voting who "will try to hurt or destroy OHA" if a Constitutional Convention is held. "We need a convention of all Hawaiian groups, we need to emphasize our similarities."

"I don't think we should be afraid if there is a state Con-Con," said Jimmy Wong. "I would encourage Hawaiians to run so they could have a majority."

"Beware," said Louis Agard, "Because who giveth can also taketh away."

The office seekers were randomly selected to respond to questions ranging from OHA's role in providing housing and health initiatives to reflections on matters that have arisen in court and Legislature such as safeguarding Hawaiians' "gathering rights" on private property for cultural purposes.

By Dennis Oda, Star-Bulletin
Helen Lee Kwai, a teacher at Highlands Intermediate
School in Pearl City, listens to the OHA candidates in
between grading her students' papers. She came to hear
what the candidates had to say about education.

Several newcomers to the race stressed their experience in businesses, banking, real estate and investments as qualifications to run the agency which administers revenues from ceded lands. Former investment banker Larry Joy Kiyohiro proposed "multigenerational" mortgages, for terms as long as 60 years, for Hawaiian homesteaders.

Ray Kinney Jr. said he attended to "listen to who gives a responsible answer, not what you want to hear. The truth is in how they respond, whether it's spontaneous or do they have a fixed speech. I'm looking for someone who's not afraid to go with the times; we can't get stuck in the past."

University of Hawaii student Kapali Keahi said he has only decided on one candidate.

"Otherwise it's a toss-up. I'm listening for who would support their own interest, and even they're going to be accountable to us."

"This is great for me," said Valerie Ching Purser, attending her first candidate forum. "You read about people voting for only familiar names. I don't want it be be a popularity thing. I really feel there's a need for changes from the top down."

Lehua Kinilau said "I don't feel it's really helping much" because such a large field of candidates left each with very little time to respond. "Hawaiians are upset at OHA for its failure. It's not effective in helping Hawaiians; just another entity of the state."

Kinilau, a University of Hawaii law student, has participated in the Native Vote '98 project, evaluating legislators' votes on Hawaiian issues.

She said "It's time for the youth to have a voice."

"There's some things I never even thought of until they brought it up," said Calvin Watson, who attended to support his daughter and candidate Mokihana Watson. "This is helping me," he said.

A total of 38 names will be on the OHA ballot Nov. 3.

Last night's forum will be broadcast on Olelo Channel 54 at 7 p.m. Oct. 17, 10 p.m. Oct. 22 and 11 a.m. Nov. 1.

---

OHA urged to approve
budget now

By Pat Omandam
Star-Bulletin

The Office of Hawaiian Affairs is under pressure to approve its 1999-2001 biennium budget by month's end or wait until the OHA board reorganizes sometime after the general elections.

After the last OHA elections in November 1996, the agency remained in limbo for five months while the Hawaii Supreme Court considered election result challenges by two incumbent trustees who lost their re-election bids.

After a Budget Committee meeting yesterday with OHA Administrator Randy Ogata and his deputies, trustees sent them back to rethink their proposed general fund budget of between $6.5 million and $9.2 million.

OHA last year received only $2.7 million in general funds from the state Legislature, prompting committee Chairwoman Colette Machado to question how it will get the state to increase funding for the proposed 27 programs, given the economy.

By law, OHA trust funds can only be used to benefit native Hawaiians, or those with more than 50 percent Hawaiian blood. The agency goes to the state Legislature annually to seek matching funds so it can provide benefits to all Hawaiians.

Machado said asking for $6.5 million next spring will make OHA the laughingstock of the Legislature, and may result in lawmakers asking the trustees to fund more programs themselves.

"I believe they will be looking at us cross-eyed and be very concerned as to where we're going with this," said Machado, who has been holding budget meetings since May.

Trustee Clayton Hee wondered what strategy OHA would use to double or triple its general fund appropriation. He said the administration's time would be better spent if it studied what's possible under the current political climate.

"How in the face of shrinking economy, and shrinking general funds appropriations, does the office intend to reverse the trend exponentially?" Hee said.

Ogata, however, said yesterday's meeting was intended to put the administration's proposed budget on the table so trustees could see the "big picture" of the plan, as well as offer feedback and possible approval.

Ogata said he would like to ask the Legislature for slightly more than what OHA received last year, an amount that would be reasonable and justifiable.

"What do you think the best strategy would be?" he countered.

Deputy Administrator Colin Kippen said the proposed budget focuses on programs along two themes, strengthening the Hawaiian family and the push toward self-governance.

These types of programs will likely have the most support in the Legislature, he said.

Leading the top of the ohana list is a request for $2 million in 1999-2000 and 2000-2001 for the Healthy Start program, which supports family services and the prevention of child abuse and neglect.

Programs under self-governance include $12,500 each year for the Hui Ho'ala voter education program to maximize the potential of the Hawaiian voting population.

"We need to be perceived as powerful," Kippen said.

With trustees meeting on Molokai and Lanai in the next few weeks, followed by an election where five OHA seats are up for grabs, Machado challenged Ogata to come back in two weeks with a budget that includes justification of those programs and their potential for success, as well as if or how they work with other agencies.

Trustees also want to know how much money has lapsed from the current biennium budget into the general fund and any trends from the last budget that could help.

Trustee Gladys Brandt, an interim trustee who is not seeking election to her seat and will not return after Nov. 3, encouraged Ogata to come out and fight for his programs with the board and not "leave it to us."

"Tell us: 'This is what we want,' and we'll bang with you over it," Brandt said.