Lawmakers push isle
site for U.N. forum

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By Pat Omandam
pomandam@starbulletin.com

State lawmakers are urging the United Nations to hold an annual international forum on indigenous people in Hawaii to take advantage of the state's convention facilities, climate and relative safety.

The move to host the annual May meetings of the U.N. Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues, which are currently held in New York, is seen as a way to build Hawaii's reputation as a serious place to discuss issues and broaden its image as more than just a tourist destination.

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"Certainly, one of the ways that we can demonstrate that Hawaii is a 'world-class' destination for meetings is to attract visible, international meetings, such as the annual meeting of the United Nations Economic and Social Council's Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues," said Rex Johnson, president of the Hawaii Tourism Authority, in his written testimony before the Senate Economic Development and Tourism committees.

The joint panels on Thursday approved House Concurrent Resolution 78, which strongly supports the convening of this year's forum in Hawaii in 2003.

The resolution now goes to the Senate for a vote next week.

The 16-member forum, which includes Mililani Trask, a Hilo resident, past trustee of the Office of Hawaiian Affairs and former governor of the group Ka Lahui Hawaii, is designed to provide the world's indigenous peoples a way to address their cultural, economic, educational, health and political issues at the U.N. level.

Trask, who has been traveling the past three weeks, did not offer testimony on the resolution but supports it, according to her staff at the Gibson Foundation in Hilo, where Trask is executive director.

Those who offered written testimony at the hearing included James Cogo and Chad Ahia, both of Honolulu, who said in a joint statement that holding the forum here will foster Hawaii's stance as a leader in international issues.

The two said hosting the event is a win-win situation for all: U.N. attendees and staff spend time in Hawaii, while the state gets their tourism, as well as international recognition.

"We should support international conferences and events that lead to the exchange of goods, services, ideas, and cultures, because in this new era of globalization, we must help to create a collective global competence to ensure a net gain in global trade, which we are so grossly dependent on," Cogo and Ahia said.

But Sen. Sam Slom (R, Diamond Head-Hawaii Kai), who sits on the tourism committee, voted against the resolution. Slom said he is worried the state will get stuck footing most of the bill to host the forum.

In any case, state lawmakers may be too late in securing the meetings this year. The forum is set for May 12-23 at the United Nations headquarters in New York and it is unlikely it would be relocated on such short notice.

Hawaii last hosted an international group in May 2001, when the Asian Development Bank held its 34th meeting in Honolulu. In August 1999, Hilo was host to the World Indigenous People's Conference on Education.