Hawaiian issues debated

By Kevin Dayton
Advertiser Capitol Bureau Chief

Candidates for governor made a pitch for the Hawaiian vote last night, pledging to support efforts to resolve controversies over ceded lands and Hawaiian self-determination.

The candidates traded shots before a crowd of about 350 at the University of Hawai'i at Manoa Campus Center Ballroom at a forum sponsored by the state Office of Hawaiian Affairs. Republican Linda Lingle did not attend.

D.G. "Andy" Anderson suggested that neither Lt. Gov. Mazie Hirono nor state Rep. Ed Case has done enough to resolve the ceded lands dispute or to pay OHA a portion of the ceded lands revenues the agency believes it is owed. Anderson, who is part-Hawaiian, said Hawaiians are not properly represented at the state level.

"You need a spokesperson, you need somebody part-Hawaiian," Anderson said. "You need somebody who will champion the cause."

Hirono said she would press the state Legislature to set aside money to settle the drawn-out dispute over how much money should be paid to OHA out of ceded lands revenues.

To push that along, Hirono suggested lawmakers consider steps such as providing land or increasing the number of tuition waivers available at the University of Hawai'i as alternate ways of paying what is owed to OHA..

Case said he believes the next few years will be the most crucial period for Native Hawaiian affairs in a century. He said he believes in self-determination, and vowed "the Native Hawaiian community will be a full partner in my administration."

The forum was attended by eight candidates for governor, including Republican John Carroll, Libertarians Tracy Ryan and George Peabody, non-partisan Paul Mattes, and Bu La'ia, also known as Kau'i Hill, who is running as a candidate of the Natural Law Party.

Meanwhile, a coalition of Native Hawaiian organizations yesterday put lawmakers on notice they will be lobbying hard to restore the cash flow from ceded-lands revenue to the Office of Hawaiian Affairs.

Legislators "have chosen to ignore their fiduciary and trust obligations" to OHA since July 2001, when the state stopped paying money from ceded lands, said Haunani Apoliona, who chairs the OHA board of trustees.

Apoliona took the helm at yesterday's announcement of the Hawaiian Rights and Entitlements Education Campaign, but she was joined by representatives of the Bishop Museum, several Hawaiian civic organizations, the Native Hawaiian Legal Corp, the 'Ilio'ulaokalani Coalition, the State Council of Hawaiian Homestead Associations, Alu Like Inc. and other groups.

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.

Staff writer Vicki Viotti contributed to this report.

Reach Kevin Dayton at kdayton@honoluluadvertiser.com or 525-8070.