By Yasmin Anwar
Advertiser Staff Writer
Office of Hawaiian Affairs trustees steadfastly elected leaders for their five committees yesterday, despite disruptions from Clayton Hee.
In mostly unanimous votes, Oswald Stender took a major post as chairman of budget and finance; Colette Machado became head of legislative and governmental affairs; Donald Cataluna took the land committee; and John Waihe‘e IV took policy and planning.
Linda Dela Cruz relinquished her proposed chairwomanship of program management to Rowena Akana, who started the meeting by objecting to any reorganization occurring before all trustees had the required 72 hours to review the recommendations.
Akana also was named vice chairwoman of legislative and governmental affairs after Waihe‘e recommended that she take his place.
Hee, the former OHA chairman, turned down memberships to all committees except budget and finance, telling trustees: "Don’t even bother nominating me."
He also raised objections to the way the meeting was being conducted and made some pointed remarks about the leadership style of his successor, Haunani Apoliona.
"You have campaigned ad nauseam for a leadership that is ethical and principled as if to imply that others are not," he said.
Maui trustee Charles Ota, who was named vice chairman of budget and finance, did not attend the meeting. Before leaving the meeting early to give a "luncheon speech on leadership," Hee told trustees not to depend on Ota accepting his new assignments.
Apoliona acknowledged that the meeting got off to a bumpy start, but credited trustees for talking through the issues, and moving forward.
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