OHA will pursue raise for manager

Advertiser Staff

Office of Hawaiian Affairs trustees yesterday authorized its Committee on Legislative and Governmental Affairs to seek a change in the state law that would allow the agency to raise the pay of its administrator Clyde Namu'o.

"We want an amendment to uncap the administrator's salary which is set by law at $85,200," OHA Chairwoman Haunani Apoliona said. "If you look at the law, the Board of Education got an amendment to raise the superintendent's pay to $150,000. We have not fixed an amount, but the floor range is between what department heads make and the ceiling of the superintendent's salary."

OHA will ask lawmakers during the next legislative session to exempt the agency from the cap.

Namu'o, a former courts administrator, has held OHA's top job since June. He is working on a two-year contract.

OHA runs or pays for a variety of programs meant to assist people of Hawaiian ancestry.