AG to look into Gov. Ben Cayetano says he has asked the attorney general to look into reports of missing records from a state housing agency.
‘missing records’
Cayetano says he does not believe
there has been wrongdoingBy Richard Borreca
rborreca@starbulletin.com"Some people say there are missing documents and that sort of thing. I think the public is entitled to know," Cayetano told reporters during an informal news conference at the state Capitol yesterday.
Cayetano also defended Sharyn Miyashiro, executive director of the Housing and Community Development Corporation of Hawaii, saying she is "entitled to the presumption that she has done nothing wrong."
Miyashiro has said she plans to leave her job at the end of the year, after working for state government for more than 30 years according to Darrell Young, housing department information officer.
Cayetano said the missing records are noted in a report issued as part of an investigation by the federal Department of Housing and Urban Development. The investigation was led by Michael Liu, HUD assistant secretary for public and Indian housing and a former Hawaii GOP state senator.
"Whether she did her job in concurrence with federal procurement laws, that is another thing, but I don't think there has been any criminal activity," Cayetano said.
He stressed, however, that if the federal government thinks that there is a criminal wrongdoing with the state agency, it should bring charges.
"To clear the air, we welcome the federal government, our own attorney general is looking into it and if the city prosecutor thinks it is worth it, let him come and look at it as well," Cayetano said.
Cayetano also questioned a portion of the HUD report that was critical of the state's procedure to combine contracts for design and construction work on projects. He said the state has been successful in using the procedure and cited the Hawaii Convention Center as an example. The Convention Center was not a HUD-funded project.
Two years ago, a state audit criticized the state housing agency, saying there were problems in its accounting and internal controls. The agency said it has implemented most of the auditor's recommendations.
The audit also faulted a 23-month delay in executing a design-consultant contract and procedures it says could have resulted in a freeze of federal funding assistance. Slow placement of applicants for low-income housing and rental assistance could lead to a waiting period of two to seven years, the audit said.
State of Hawaii
