ERRORS of judgment by the chief executive of the Hawaii Tourism Authority have been compounded by those of the agency's board whose members should have conducted a more thorough examination of the improper e-mails that initially led to his pay and contract reductions.

The HTA board has again had to delay a meeting to take up the unseemly affair in which CEO Rex Johnson forwarded pornographic, sexist and racist e-mails from his state laptop.

Although the postponement was due to a lack of quorum, it could be seen as insensitive to public displeasure in the matter. Moreover, the inaction prolongs the controversy and the negative publicity - a march through Waikiki by civil rights groups and national media coverage - at a time when Hawaii tourism has been dragging.

Earlier this summer, the board disciplined Johnson after it was discovered he was e-mailing pornographic material sent to him by others on his state computer. Nine days after an executive session, the board punished Johnson, cutting his pay from $240,000 to $200,000 and his contract from four years to one.

Last month, more offensive e-mails became public, one that referred to Democratic presidential candidates Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama with sexist and racial slurs, and insults against Hispanics and Muslims.

Johnson asserts that those e-mails were available to the board, but HTA chairman Kelvin Bloom said the board was unaware of their contents before the board decided on Johnson's punishment.

When the board meets this week, members should make sure to review all necessary material to assess in full whether Johnson is the best person to represent Hawaii tourism.