Posted on: Sunday, February 3, 2002

Kanahele pays $9,000 owed on lease of Waimanalo land

Associated Press

Hawaiian activist Dennis "Bumpy" Kanahele has paid the state Department of Land and Natural Resources $9,000.

Last month, the land board gave Kanahele and residents of his Waimanalo village 30 days to pay $3,000 in back rent. They were also given 60 days to pay an overdue $6,000 performance bond or forfeit their lease.

Land Division acting administrator Harry Yada had asked the board to revoke the group's lease for lack of payment.

But the board gave the group more time, while also requiring a soil and water conservation plan. The bill was paid Friday and Kanahele said the plan is being prepared.

Kanahele is the leader of the Pu'uhonua o Waimanalo village. The group moved to the 45-acre site on state agricultural land in 1993 after agreeing to leave Makapu'u Beach, where they had been living in tents for 15 months.

In June 1994, the state and the group agreed to a 55-year lease, which wasn't signed until last March.