Cayetano losing
Miike, Takushi
The governor must find
By Mike Yuen
replacements for his health
and personnel chiefs
for the next term
Star-BulletinGOV. Ben Cayetano's Cabinet for his second term will include new health and personnel directors.
Dr. Lawrence Miike and James Takushi, who, respectively, headed the Health and Human Resources Development departments since Cayetano took office four years ago, said they plan to leave the administration.
About two weeks ago, Miike, 58, told his division chiefs he would step down. Miike today said his remarks reaffirm what he has said since he joined the Cabinet: that he would serve only one term.
"It's a deal with my wife. And I would like a life of my own for a change," said Miike, who has spent his entire career in public health policy in Washington and Honolulu. "Eight years seems like a long time in a job for me."
Takushi said when he joined the administration, he told Cayetano he would serve for four years.
Two months ago, he put in for retirement, said Takushi, a longtime state administrator who also headed the state personnel department for four years in the mid-1980s under Gov. George Ariyoshi and for five years beginning in 1969 under Gov. John Burns.
Cayetano will be meeting individually with Cabinet members in the coming weeks to assess their performances and to hear their self-evaluations. Cayetano also must name a new Public Safety director. Cora Lum has been interim director since Keith Kaneshiro resigned in October.
Assessing his tenure, Miike said he is proud of having the cigarette tax raised from 60 cents to $1 a pack, and of turning the public hospital system into a quasi-business corporation that still has an obligation to provide rural health services. As the voting ex-officio member of the state Commission on Water Resources Management, he is proud of the panel's decision on long-term water allocation, with a certain amount from the Waiahole system remaining on Windward Oahu but with enough diverted for agricultural needs on Leeward Oahu.
Miike said his toughest chore was chopping his department's budget to cope with the state's budget woes, but at the same time ensuring that state funds bolstered mental health services to comply with a longstanding federal consent decree.
Takushi said he recently remarried and would like to spend more time with his new wife and his family, which includes three grandchildren.
Commerce Director Kathryn Matayoshi said if Cayetano asks her to stay on, she will. She said she would like to complete her work streamlining business registration and making Hawaii a more business friendly state.
Hawaiian Homes Commission Chairman Kali Watson said he would stay on if Cayetano gives his approval.
Attorney General Margery Bronster and Land Board Chairman Michael Wilson said through aides that they would like to remain in the administration.
Bronster wants to continue her work on the Bishop Estate investigation and also wants to oversee the state's lawsuits against the tobacco and oil companies, said Cynthia Quinn, Bronster's special assistant. The state is suing tobacco firms for health problems caused by cigarettes, and the oil companies for allegedly overcharging isle motorists for gas.
Wilson's deputy, Gilbert Coloma-Agaran, said his boss would like to remain in Cayetano's Cabinet "in some capacity." Tax Director Ray Kamikawa said his comments about his status would be premature until he meets with Cayetano after Thanksgiving.
