Maui Now.com reports “OHA to Host Two Maui Meetings Amid Nation Building Concerns”
Two meetings are planned on Maui following public concerns raised over a letter sent from the top executive at the Office of Hawaiian Affairs to the US Department of State, seeking an opinion on the legal status of Hawai‘i under international law.
Kamana‘opono Crabbe, Ka Pouhana and CEO at the Office of Hawaiian Affairs submitted the formal request to US Secretary of State John Kerry, “as part of the organizationʻs broader effort to facilitate a Hawaiian nation-building process.”
Crabbe explained in a press release statement that the action was prompted by a presentation and panel discussion last month that featured former Hawai‘i Governor John Waihe‘e, III, Chairman of the Native Hawaiian Roll Commission, senior Law Professor Williamson Chang, and Dr. Keanu Sai, a political scientist.
“The presentations of Professor Chang and Dr. Sai provided a legal analysis of the current status of Hawai‘i that appeared to undermine the legal basis of the Roll Commission, and, as alleged in the panel discussions, the possibility of criminal liability under international law,” Crabbe said in a press release.
Crabbe continued saying, “These matters have raised grave concerns with regard to not only the Native Hawaiian community we serve, but also to the vicarious liability of myself, staff and Trustees of the Office of Hawaiian Affairs, and members of the Native Hawaiian Roll Commission. The community we serve, the Trustees, and many of my staff members, to include myself, and the members of the Roll Commission are Native Hawaiians, who are direct descendants of Hawaiian subjects of the Hawaiian Kingdom.”
In a press conference held on Monday, Crabbe said, “I continue to believe my decision to send the letter was in the best interest of OHA and the beneficiaries we serve. I stand behind this decision and accept full responsibility for it.”
Maui Trustee Carmen Hulu Lindsey wrote a formal request on Monday asking that her name be removed from a letter in which trustees of the Office of Hawaiian Affairs rescinded Crabbe’s letter sent to the Secretary of State.
Lindsey said she called Crabbe and listened to his account of what transpired, and said, “I am now confident that he acted in good faith and with the powers vested in him as CEO to safeguard the interests of those we serve.”
She continued saying, “I have attended the many community town hall meetings OHA has held throughout the islands and heard the concerns articulated in Dr. Crabbe’s letters expressed by several people. While those questions may be troubling and difficult to address, it is precisely because they are so that I now believe Dr. Crabbe demonstrated courage and integrity in moving those concerns forward to try to get the clarity we need.”
In conclusion, she stated that, “I regret the circumstances that led me to allow my name to be added to a letter that I now believe was sent off without adequate reflection and discussion among the trustees.”
Native Hawaiians on Maui will get an opportunity to provide feedback to the Office of Hawaiian Affairs at a community forum as well as a regular meeting scheduled by the Board of Trustees this week.
The community meeting is designed for OHA officials to listen to concerns and highlight efforts to improve conditions within Hawaiian communities. That meeting will take place at 6:30 p.m. on Wednesday, May 14, 2014, at the Waiola Church Hall on Waineʻe Street in Lahaina.
The Board of Trustees meeting will be held the following day at 9 a.m. on Thursday, May 15, 2014, at the Cameron Center Auditorium in Wailuku.
Both meetings are open to the public.
Is there one planed for Oahu?
From my experience with OHA since the early 70ies up until 2014. The appearance is that they are listening….plainly with another second agenda in priority. Their body language during the “listening” process and periods for me is one of patronization to those who they will work against. When it comes to unification on Maoli and Aupuni rights and freedoms their history is devoid of success. You are telling them what the Hawaiian Affair is…not the other way around. However again from history what I have just said has not been factual. They come they talk, they leave us disrespected, disillusioned and diminished. The Sovereign Hawaiian Nation is here and always has been. Either they get it done with us or we get it done ourselves. Lawful Hawaiian Government Moku O Keawe.
Will they also visit Hawai’i Island? Hilo? Waimea? Kona?
This film need to be watch from 0:00 to 7:00 OHA 4-12-2014 Kamana’opono knew the truth and may this person look like he was a lair. Everyone remember what goes around come around…It took someone in that meeting at OHA to stand up in behalf for that person…. Also watch the person in the back of that is nodding his head well that person is speaking…
Truly an eye-opener. Our people are so damn idiotic. Stupid. Kanaka’s always complaining about ‘Haole’s keeping us down’ NO, WE ARE KEEPING OURSELVES DOWN. OHA with all the money you guys are in charge of you could use it to fund education and to get the communities informed but instead you fund that crap called kanailolwalu, and yeah that program doesn’t have any mana so it don’t deserve an ‘okina. Everyone had different opinions because everyone isn’t on the same level of awareness. They don’t know our history and where we stand. If you were to ask 10 Kanaka’s or even 10 random people of any race, what they know of Hawai’i history you’d get 10 answers which would be all different from each other and they’d be very vague. 90% of Hawai’i people don’t know Hawai’i history.
Information is what separates the victor from the loser in a war. And OHA is giving uninformed people false hope, thus we will forever fight ourselves and continue to lose.
Our people went from doctors, diplomats, lawyers, businessmen, judges, and educators to alcoholics, drug users, bums, illiterates, and hoodlums. All it took was stripping education and information from us over the duration of a couple generations.
Aloha Kakou,
I may not be able to make those meetings because of time constraints, but
if anyone can relay a message to Hulu Lindsey seeking her assistance for
the immediate removal of Collette Machado! We cannot have someone like
Machado representing anyone without a functioning moral compass!
We need to have Machado removed from office now!
Mahalo,
Wayne
Need immediate …REMOVAL OF USA OAHU OHA…..!!!……PERIOD…..!!!……ONE BY ONE…..!!!
Maui people best beware of OHAS 19th meeting its an executive meeting only on oahu about the ceo and his fate so heres your chance to reel in.
I agree! The right thing for the entire State of
Hawaii to do is to cease and desist, but for the
interim lets get Machado out! With the Hewa gone
the easier it is to get our concerns addressed!
If you think about it w will still need to function,
and if have to it should be favorable to us, after
all we are going to function in our nation soon!