Kamehameha trustee hopefuls vow fight on native-only issue

The finalists attended a forum last night sponsored by Na Pua A Ke Ali'i Pauahi

The three finalists to become a trustee of the Kamehameha Schools would continue to appeal if a federal court strikes down the school's native Hawaiian admissions policy.

However, each said they would also pursue alternatives to the policy to continue serving native Hawaiian children.

THE 3 FINALISTS FOR KAMEHAMEHA SCHOOLS TRUSTEE ALLEN K. HOE Age: 59 Job: Attorney in private practice. Experience: Deputy corporation counsel for the City and County of Honolulu; per diem judge in Honolulu District Court; Probate Court special master for the Kamehameha Schools Trustee Compensation Committee; hearings officer for the Hawaiian Homes Commission; Vietnam War veteran. CORBETT A.K. KALAMA Age: 50 Job: First Hawaiian Bank Senior Vice President Experience: Bank employee since 1982, promoted to senior vice president in 2004.* Kalama also headed a community working group that advised U.S. Sen. Daniel Akaka on the unsuccessful bill for his federal recognition bill for Hawaiians. IVAN M. LUI-KWAN Age: 61 Job: Attorney at Starn O'Toole Marcus & Fisher. Experience: Law clerk for former Chief Justice William S. Richardson; attorney with Carlsmith Ball; executive vice president/chief operating officer for Queen's Health Systems; board chairman and chief executive officer of the Queen's Development Corp.; director of the city Department of Budget and Fiscal Services; manager for Daniel Akaka's campaigns for U.S. House and U.S. Senate, political director for Akaka's last re-election campaign.

The finalists -- Honolulu lawyer Allen K. Hoe, First Hawaiian Bank Senior Vice President Corbett A.K. Kalama and former city Budget Director Ivan M. Lui-Kwan -- attended a forum last night sponsored by Na Pua A Ke Ali'i Pauahi Inc., a nonprofit group whose members include alumni, parents, students and faculty of Kamehameha Schools.

Kalama said the school could still continue and expand already-successful partnerships with the Department of Education and other entities to provide early childhood education and better prepare native Hawaiian children for school.

Lui-Kwan said there are other criteria to target native Hawaiians that could be used for admissions besides race. But giving up Kamehameha Schools' tax-exempt status to preserve the admissions policy would be "too expensive" because it would cost the trust hundreds of millions of dollars.

Hoe said the trustees should take a fresh look at the policy and "go outside the box to see what can be done to expand educational opportunities for Hawaiian children."

Each nominee gave opening remarks and then spoke separately in a question-and-answer session with about 40 people gathered at the Center for Hawaiian Studies at the University of Hawaii at Manoa.

The three nominees were chosen by a selection committee that reviewed applications for the position on the five-member board, which oversees a $6.8 billion endowment.

A Probate Court judge will make the final selection.

The trust was formed by the will of Princess Bernice Pauahi Bishop, the last direct descendent of Kamehameha I, to establish the Kamehameha Schools and provide support and education for orphans and the indigent, giving preference to native Hawaiians.*

The new trustee will fill the remaining term of Constance Lau, who announced she would resign after she was promoted to president and chief executive officer of Hawaiian Electric Industries.

Jan Dill, a board member of Na Pua A Ke Ali'i Pauahi, said the group will not make a formal recommendation to the Probate Court on who it thinks should be the next trustee.

But he said he expected some in the audience would submit comments.

The court is taking comments from the community until Friday.

"Certainly the beneficiaries should have an opportunity to provide input significantly in the process," Dill said.

Adrian Kamalii, the organization's president, said the group made a point of asking each nominee whether they would be open to continue talking with beneficiaries and each nominee indicated they thought it would be a good idea.

Lau's term expires June 30, 2008.

The other current trustees of Kamehameha Schools are Chairman Robert Kihune, Douglas Ing, Nainoa Thompson and Diane Plotts.

CORRECTION Thursday, November 30, 2006 » Corbett Kalama became a senior vice president at First Hawaiian Bank in January 2004. A Page A1 story yesterday reported he was promoted in 2003. Also, the will of Bernice Pauahi Bishop does not specifically provide for the education of native Hawaiian children. The will establishes the Kamehameha Schools and provides support and education for orphans and the indigent, giving preference to native Hawaiians. The story was not clear on that point. Please see the applicable Corrections Page for more information.