By David Shapiro

Saturday, May 15, 1999

Restoring public trust
in Hawaii

When Randall Roth and the Star-Bulletin finished arrangements to publish "Broken Trust," the essay that rocked the Bishop Estate, Roth said, "I'll bet the farm that one or more trustees will be removed as a result of this."

"That would be like moving a mountain," I told Roth. "I'd save a few acres of the farm for your old age."

A few days later, Gov. Ben Cayetano ordered Attorney General Margery Bronster to investigate the trustees, citing "Broken Trust" as justification.

"Congratulations," I e-mailed Roth. "You've moved a mountain."

Last week, Circuit Judge Bambi Weil ousted Trustee Lokelani Lindsey and Judge Kevin Chang gave at least a temporary boot to trustees Richard Wong, Henry Peters and Gerard Jervis while accepting the resignation of Oswald Stender.

I realized that this was bigger than moving a mountain. The authors of "Broken Trust" -- Gladys Brandt, Walter Heen, the late Msgr. Charles Kekumano, Samuel King and Roth -- had moved heaven and earth.

Beyond Bishop Estate, "Broken Trust" showed momentous change can happen in Hawaii - mountains can be moved - when honest people take courageous stands.

"Broken Trust" has inspired others to challenge power centers elsewhere in Hawaii --from the courts to the Legislature to the labor unions. The downfall of the trustees could be the start of a long-overdue reformation of public life here.

This is not to give the "Broken Trust" authors all of the credit for toppling the trustees. They acted in support of brave protests by alumni, parents, teachers and students at Kamehameha Schools, the beneficiary of the Bishop Estate.

But it wasn't until the "Broken Trust" authors -- four native Hawaiian pillars of the community and a top trust attorney -- spoke up in 1997 that the governor and the courts were moved to action. Look what has happened since:

The incestuous relationship has ended between the Bishop Estate, the courts and the Democratic Party.

The Supreme Court has removed itself from selecting Bishop trustees and from hearing cases involving the trustees they appointed. It was a bitter pill for justices to swallow, but they did the right thing to protect the integrity of the court.

Weil stepped up to the plate unflinchingly when called upon and Chang showed how a judge and a court-appointed master are supposed to work together to protect the interests of a trust.

Cayetano is urging voters to throw out some of his fellow Democrats in the state Senate and the Democratic Party has disavowed the Senate Democrats who voted to remove Bronster at the behest of Bishop trustees and public worker unions.

Eight Senate Democrats were voted out in the last two elections and more will get the heave-ho next year.

Powerful public employee unions are under challenge. Cayetano has made civil service reform his top priority. The Senate's toadying to the unions is near an end. Leaders of the Hawaii Government Employees Association are taking heat from their own members for lobbying against Bronster while members of the United Public Workers are accusing executive director Gary Rodrigues of misusing union resources for his own benefit.

Before "Broken Trust," there was a lot of unfocused discontent in the air here. Since "Broken Trust," that discontent has become focused and real change is taking place.

Those in public life who have betrayed trust had better run for cover. People dedicated to a better Hawaii now know that persistence can make it happen against any odds.

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Bishop Estate Archive

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David Shapiro is managing editor of the Star-Bulletin.
He can be reached by e-mail at editor@starbulletin.com.

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