Posted on: Wednesday, November 19, 2003

EDITORIAL
EWC board embarks on a new direction

Change came to the East-West Center Board of Governors in June, when Gov. Linda Lingle named four new Hawai'i members to that important panel.

Now the board, with those four members voting together, has elected Lingle appointee Roland Lagareta as its new chairman.

The board also begins to take on a new political coloration, as both local and national appointees come with Republican credentials.

The spate of new appointments caused Lingle to let go former Gov. George Ariyoshi, who, as chairman, had been widely recognized as leading the return to stability at the center.

Ariyoshi had also brought something to the board and the center that appears even more special now that it is gone. He was 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.

As Lagareta settles into his new post, it's clear he will need help in keeping the board connected solidly in Asia. To avoid a new tinge of insularity, we suggest the board rely heavily on the expertise of other members, including veteran Lynn Anzai, newcomer Puongpun Sananikone (a former grantee) and the newest State Department appointee, former Hawai'i Congresswoman and federal Small Business Administrator Pat Saiki.

Saiki, having been appointed to a three-year term on the board by Secretary of State Colin Powell, has the clout in Washington and the kind of background that can win respect in Asia.

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 took under Ariyoshi's leadership to ensure it will continue to play that role for years to come.