KITV News reported “OHA CEO defends decision citing risk management”
HONOLULU —“I take this responsibility very, very seriously,” said Kamana’opono Crabbe, chief executive officer of the Office of Hawaiian Affairs during a morning news conference.
Flanked by his chief financial officer and other Native Hawaiian scholars and lawyers, Crabbe defended his decision to send a letter to Secretary of State John Kerry without consulting with OHA trustees first.
The letter asked for a legal opinion to clarify whether Hawaii’s sovereignty is recognized under international law.
“It is imperative for us to move forward to have at least accurate information, and truth so that our people can make well-informed decisions,” said Crabbe.
The rift went public when OHA trustees asked to have the letter rescinded, although at least two trustees, Dan Ahuna and Carmen Hulu Lindsey, are now siding with Crabbe.
The Hawaiian community is in the process of political self-determination. The deadline for signing up for the Native Hawaiian Roll in order to be counted ended May 1.
“A well-informed decision may be, in our Hawaiian community, is that we need to stop this whole process until these questions are answered. There are reasonable questions to ask of the right authority,” said attorney Dexter Kamiama.
But this internal clash has trustees scrambling for damage control.
Supporters of OHA’s CEO were out in force Monday. Although Crabbe says he has not been asked to resign, some fear he may lose his job over this.
“Over 800 Hawaii residents have signed on to this petition we simply want to support pono leadership and we feel Dr. Crabbe has embodied that,” said University of Hawaii professor Kamana Beamer.
OHA Chairwoman Collette Machado said she sent a two-page letter to staff outlining the difficult position Crabbe’s letter has put the office in.
OHA chairwoman Collette Machado said trustees will meet with Crabbe next week to talk about the letter and the breach of process and take appropriate action.
Machado said Crabbe disrespected the trustees, Hawaii lawmakers and the 125,000 native Hawaiians who signed the roll.
Former Gov. John Waihee who heads the Native Hawaiian Roll Commission said he does not believe this rift will affect the process.
He said the next step is to verify the signatures on the roll and to elect delegates to a convention, something he hopes is still possible.
I feel that this is so evil even after John Waihee admitted that the information he heard was correct as the evidence presented so proves, he is still determined to go ahead and lead our people to something less then they all deserve and have. UNBELIEVABLE!!!! EVILS BIG HEAD IS REARING DETERMINED TO TRY AND KILL OUR NATION with a convention and a vote by the people who have signed on to the Native Hawaiian Roll. What kind of people would do that? Lead those who don’t know any better down to make believe world. WOW!!!! Why are they not participating in the truth, following international law in the de-occupation of our COUNTRY and working together to make this an easy transition????? There is so much work to do. LORD PLEASE OPEN THEIR EYES, EARS and HEARTS TO THE TRUTH!!!!!
Pualani, that is not their mission or purpose. Machado has shown her hand and I hope all take note and boot her out. She must explain how Dr. Crabbe has disrespected the trustees, Hawaii’s lawmakers, and the alleged 125,000 dubious Hawaiian signatories. She makes no mention of the massive majority of Hawaiian beneficiaries; has he disrespected them? Does she feel they can purposely disrespect us because we don’t subscribe to their agenda of being US tribal Indian sheep?
Machado and the rest of the trustees deceivingly feigned a neutral stance; their actions amount to a no confidence vote and it is they who should step down. Anyone who can give $100,000.00 dollars of Hawaiian beneficiaries money to the Pearl Harbor Memorial Fund are disrespectful and derelict in its intended purpose.
To trick beneficiaries to integrate with the US as an indigenous tribe and blatantly lie to them that it is self-determination which is set within US parameters without a fully informed and free choice is disingenuous and disrespectful.
Now, who is really being disrespectful?
Dexters last name is Kaiama not Kamiama.
I had never trusted Waihee. Meaning of Waihee is an octopus, he would dish out with one hand and take with the other seven. He was not a good Governor and will never be a good leader.
Isn’t it sad that Waihee’s son is a puppet on a string and his father is in control of that string. Need to get him out he is not man enough to be a trustee.
As for Colette Machado, she has the nerve to even send a rescinded letter thinking the people won’t retaliate. I understand she also want to have a HO’OPONOPONO behind close doors with Crabbe and the other trustees on maui. She needs to have a HO’OPONOPONO WITH KE AKUA FOR THE TRUTH SHE WAS TRYING TO KEEP AWAY FROM THE PEOPLE. SHAME ON HER…
I am very curious on what went on in Washington, does anyone know?
Chair Machado need’s to get her head out of her A_ _, she and the media continue to harp on the misconception that 125,000 Native Hawaiian’s signed the “roll”, when in fact they had to lobby the Legislature to transfer majority of the signature’s from the Kau Inoa List without asking those individual’s their permission to do so.
We don’t have to wait till election time to get rid of politician’s that we’re not satisfied with. In the American system there is a recall process and we should utilize this process since we are currently living under the American Political System.
If there’s a rift, it is Chair Machado and her micro managing clones on the board that are causing the problem by not standing by Dr. Kamana’opono Crabbe, who’s only doing what a competent manager should do.
“Recall Vote” Get Them Out.
Aloha kakou.
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Aloha
We need to MOVE FORWARD. Stop being Americanized and start thinking SOVEREIGN NATION. INTERNATIONAL Here’s a couple who knows were they came from and where their going. Mahalo PK.
http://m.youtube.com/watch?feature=youtu.be&v=V2VWnebrSPk
Chairwoman Machado says Crabbe’s letter put their office in a difficult position??? The TRUTH is only difficult when you are trying to do something that is NOT truthful. Crabbe wants answers to questions that would enlighten everyone inorder to make intelligent and informed decisions. Machado wants everyone in the dark? WHY??? Machado, take heed, what you do in darkness will be revealed in the LIGHT. It’s clear you and your chronies are in breach of your fiduciary duties and oathes of office.
We don’t need permission from anyone, let alone a corporate head to establish our own sense of sovereignty under our own terms. On Oahu, the City and County is continuing to attack our people through a veil of “nuisance removal” and “sidewalk maintenance.” This process, which deprives our people of the very essentials to survive (clothes, food, shelter, bedding, and the like) is regarded as legal. At this point, such a word is meaningless. We need to assert our own politics and do what we can, with whatever tools we have now, to make change in own communities now.
Aloha.
The support Petition now stands as 2,340 signatures. Among the foreign Countries & places from where people signed, Argentina, Israel, Romania, Malta, Russian Federation, Sweden, French-Polynesia, the U.S.A., the U.K., Columbia, Switzerland, Ireland, Portugal, Indonesia, France, Japan, New Zealand, India, Germany, Pakistan, Austria, the Netherlands, there was even one from a place few of us have ever even “heard” of namely the Heard & McDonald Islands, an Australian external Territory.
Some commentary gems:
-“Freedom of information please” (1,787).
– “The illegal seizure of Hawai’i from the Hawaiian Monarchy calls into question all subsequent political decisions” (1,564).
-“The burden of proving sovereignty is upon the party that claims it, the United States” (2,144).
-“Finally some courage from OHA, no need be puppets on da string” (2,049).
-“He ‘onipa’a ka ‘oia’i’o Truth is not changeable, ‘Olelo no’eau Maty K. Pukui” (1,811).
-“I’m not anti American I’m pro Hawaiian, end the U.S. occupation in the Hawaiian Kingdom” (702).
-“Dr. Crabbe is a man of integrity and sincerity. He has taken this brave position even knowing it may jeopardise his position because he is deeply connected to his culture, and is compelled to seek justice for the Hawaiian nation” (411).
Mahalo.