OHA leader Apoliona turns to Lingle on ceded lands issue

By Vicki Viotti
Advertiser Staff Writer

Haunani Apoliona was re-elected yesterday to chair the Office of Hawaiian Affairs board of trustees, and appeared poised to press the new state administration to resume paying OHA part of the money owed for the use of ceded lands.

Haunani Apoliona will serve a minimum of one year on the Office of Hawaiian Affairs board of trustees. Advertiser library photo

Lenny Klompus, Lingle's spokesman, said the governor intends to fulfill her campaign promise to restore the money but emphasized that the letter spelling out the demand in detail has not been sent.

Ceded lands are nearly 2 million acres of former crown and government lands transferred to the state under the 1959 Admission Act, to be held in trust for public benefits, including improving the lot of Native Hawaiians.

The state was paying rent for its use of these lands until Sept. 12, 2001, when the state Supreme Court threw out the formula used to calculate payments, ruling it conflicts with federal law. However, OHA attorneys have argued that at least $10.3 million is not covered by the dispute.

"We still believe the governor has clear authority to make this payment," Namuo said.

Yesterday began with pomp and ended with new circumstances for the nine members of the board, including five who were just elected.

Office of Hawaiian Affairs trustees receive feather lei during an investiture ceremony at Kawaiaha'o Church. From left are John Waihe'e IV, Boyd Mossman, Linda Dela Cruz, Dante Carpenter and Rowena Akana. Trustees not in photo are Donald Cataluna, Colleen Machado, Oswald Stender and Haunani Apoliona. Bruce Asato • The Honolulu Advertiser

Apoliona pointed to the election of the state's first Republican governor as a signal for Hawaiians to capitalize on changing political tides.

"The paradigm of politics is shifting, and therein lies the opportunity for Native Hawaiians," she said in her address. "Political activism isn't short-lived, nor is it one-shot. We must not save political activism for only election time."

Politicking resumed in full force after the ceremony when the board held its first meeting and tapped Apoliona and Cataluna as chair and vice chair, both for a minimum one-year term. The term length was suggested by Carpenter, who said it would guard against frequent board upheavals as well as ensure other trustees to have a chance at leadership after the year ends.

Akana, a long-standing opponent of Apoliona, spoke against her selection and charged that she "has not been a good leader."

"I cannot support a chair who has not been supportive of all trustees," she said.

As evidence of poor leadership, Akana pointed to a newspaper advertisement paid for by a group called Hawaiians for Trust that accused the board of mishandling trust assets over the past two years and suggested that beneficiaries seek "remedies" for that mishandling.

Waihe'e expressed concern about the charge, but Cataluna and Mossman said the board shouldn't be intimidated by threats of legal challenges. The group listed only a post office box address and a toll-free number that links callers to a voice-mail system where they can leave messages.

Calls to the number by The Advertiser were not returned.

The board also decided to winnow its organizational structure from five to two committees on which all members would sit. The Committee on Asset and Resource Management will be chaired by Stender, who sponsored the bill to reduce the committee structure as a move for efficiency, with Carpenter as vice chairperson.

Machado and Waihe'e, respectively, were named to the chair and vice chair of the Committee on Beneficiary Advocacy and Empowerment.

Reach Vicki Viotti at vviotti@honoluluadvertiser.com or 525-8053.