Posted on: Monday, June 16, 2003

EDITORIAL
EWC board members have large shoes to fill

The four people appointed by Gov. Linda Lingle as Hawai'i members of the East-West Center's Board of Governors offer an interesting combination of local connections and Asia-Pacific experience.

Surely, they will do their best to keep the center on the steady course it has set, following years of instability and internal disruption.

But it must be said that by appointing the new board members — all, by the way, have solid Republican credentials — Lingle had to let go an individual who has been invaluable to the center and its mission.

Former Gov. George Ariyoshi, who served as chairman until his current three-year term expired in May, was widely recognized as leading the return to stability at the center. Beyond that, however, he brought something to the board and the center that is close to unique.

Ariyoshi is widely known and respected in Asia, where he travels frequently on business and for the center. He is one of a handful of Americans for whom doors will always open in Asia, particularly in Japan.

Those connections are now lost to the center, although there is no doubt Ariyoshi would be willing to help out if asked by the center or anyone else.

So the positives that Lingle's appointees — Eddie Flores, Miriam Hellreich, Roland Lagareta and Puongpun Sananikone — bring to the board will be somewhat offset by the big loss that Ariyoshi's departure represents.

Lingle has commendably waited until terms expire, rather than asking for courtesy resignations from board members. That means there will be stability during the transition to a new board.

A stable, active and involved East-West Center is a vital part of Hawai'i's reputation as a "window" between the United States and Asia-Pacific. It is crucial that the new board members continue on the path the center has taken to ensure it will continue to play that role for years to come.