Newsmaker
Monday, June 8, 1998
Name: Robin Matsunaga
Age: 42
Education: University of Hawaii-Manoa
Occupation: State Ombudsman, starting July 1.
Hobbies: Golf, raising two dogs
A man with two homes on his property couldn't get an extra automated trash cart from the city. Government's answer man
Who you gonna call?
In this case, he called the state ombudsman's office and the problem was resolved.
Starting next month, Robin Matsunaga, chief of staff for House Speaker Joe Souki, will take over the $85,300-a-year ombudsman's post.
The previous ombudsman, Len Yew, retired because of illness.
"When people don't understand or don't trust government, are frustrated by government, or feel alienated because they don't feel like anyone's listening to them, the ombudsman provides a bridge between this big thing called government and the people it's supposed to serve," Matsunaga said.
Many people don't know about the office, and that's one of the things Matsunaga hopes to change during his six-year appointment.
"Even people who know the Legislature asked me, 'What does that office do?' That kind of was a hint to me," Matsunaga said.
"If people don't know that, then the office cannot accomplish its mission."
The Office of the Ombudsman has been in existence since 1969. It was the first of its kind in the nation.
The ombudsman is an officer of the Legislature who investigates complaints about actions by state and county executive-branch agencies.
The office has a budget of $731,842 and a staff of about 14 people.
The ombudsman's office received 6,498 inquiries in the 1996-97 fiscal year. It investigated 4,312 and sustained 940 complaints. The inquiries not investigated involved information requests or cases outside of the ombudsman's jurisdiction.
Most of the complaints came from prison inmates. The office said many of the problems could be attributed to overcrowding.
The office does not have the power to compel or reverse administrative actions, but instead tries to resolve justified complaints through recommendations and "reasoned persuasion."
"Sometimes the agency is doing everything it can and is authorized to do, and the result is not the result the person wanted," Matsunaga said.
Matsunaga comes to the job with 12 years of experience in the Legislature. He started as a budget analyst in the House Finance Committee under Rep. Ken Kiyabu, and rose to become Souki's chief of staff.
Before the Legislature, Matsunaga worked at Star Market for 12 years, starting as a bag boy.
"No matter what kind of job you have, if you put in your best effort, it's rewarding and you can move ahead," he said.
By Craig Gima, Star-Bulletin
