OFFICE OF HAWAIIAN AFFAIRS 1600 Kaplolanl Blvd., Suite 1500 Honolulu, HawaII 96814 O(a 0 Ofjf\ The 1990 elections and Hawaiian issues By Deborah Lee Ward . Editor, Ka Wai Ola 0 OHA In this November 1990 special election issue of In this issue Ka Wai Ola 0 OHA, we have invited candidates in Native Hawaiians in OHA Elections the OHA election, and major federal and state OHA Candidate Profiles races to present their statements to answer the Registration Voter turnout ................. page 3-15 questions "What do you think is the most impor- Thousands Data Source: State Elections Office tant issue facing Native Hawaiians and OHA in the Federal Candidate Profiles next five years? What steps would you take, or 60 ............... page 16-18" what course would you follow to address that issue"? 50 State Candidate Profiles : Ka Wai Ola 0 OHA invites its readers to read . .. page 18-30. the following article which summarizes the major 40 Hawaiian issues as seen by OHA and others in the Uncontested races page community, and to determin _-which candidates 30 are most knowledgeable and to the 20 Democratic Party statement Hawaiian issues of the 1990s, wHich may become ....._ ............. page 31 "the decade of the Hawaiian." 10 OHA and the pursuit of Hawaiian rights Republican Party statement The Office of Hawaiian Affairs was established o ... ............. .. page 31 by a 1978 state constitutional amendment to "promote the betterment of conditions of Hawaii- Outlook for Hawaiians in ans ." . the 102nd Congress In carrying out its founding purpose, OHA con- page 33 tinues to seek: • resolution and settlement of Native Hawaiian claims for lands and sovereignty illegally taken ans Study Commission a report entitled "Repara- The OHA long-range plan, I Luna A'e (moving withou consent or compensation to the Hawaiian tions and Restitution," which set out four general upward) was begun with these cO'fflponent parts. people; principles to bring native Hawaiians into the An enrollment program has been underway since • recognition of the inherent right of self-deter- modern era of federal Native American relations: July 1989 to register all Hawaiians, establish a vali- mined governance; 1) acknowledgement by the U.S. of the wrongful dated genealogy base, and develop the first true • and the protection and practice of native taking of Hawaiian land; 2) provisions of self- demographic information to identify Hawaiian rights for current and future generations of all government for native Hawaiians; 3) provision of a wants and needs. Native Hawaiians. land base for native Hawaiians; and 4) monetary In 1982, OHA submitted to the Native Hawaii- compensation. " continued page 33 Message from Lt. The Office of Hawaiian Affairs Election Governor Cayetano Background • a U.S. citizen The Office of Hawaiian Affairs was established • a resident of Hawai'i by a 1978 Constitutional Amendment. The • age 18 or older Readers of Ka Wai purpose of OHA is to "promote the betterment of Ola 0 OHA know of the Persons do not need to show proof of Hawaiian conditions of Hawaiians." ancestry at the time of registration, but must sign work being done by the OHA is the principal state agency which coor- Officf> of Hawaiian an affidavit swearing and affirming that they are dinates programs affecting Hawaiians. It receives Hawaiian. If challenged, they must be able to Affairs. The trustees funding from the ceded lands public trust and and staff have worked prove they are Hawaiian. general funding from the Legislature. OHA Challenges can be made before election day by hard to create new also receives grants and donations for Hawaiian programs, expand com- writing to the city/ county clerk, or on election day programs and services; and serve_s a..s a trustee of at the polling place. munication with OHA possible reparations from the federal government. beneficiaries, and The OHA ballot awaken greater public awareness of the Election of OHA Trustees All persons registered to vote in OHA elections needs of the Hawaiian people. The OHA election is held every two years at the will be issued an OHA ballot along with the regular OHA's increasing importance is reflected same time as the general election. This year the election ballots. in the fact that there are 29 candidates this election will be on Tuesday, Nov. 6. This will be the Important note: if for some reason, you do year for the Board of Trustees. That turnout sixth election for the OHA Board of Trustees. not receive a separate OHA ballot at your shows wide interest and deep commitment There are five seats to be filled in 1990. The polling place, be sure to request one from the to the founding principles and work of the trustees serve staggered four-year terms and are voter assistant. Office of Hawaiian Af{airs. elected statewide. Of the five seats to be filled in Absentee voting Now it is up to the readers of Ka Wai Ola this election, two have residency requirements. Persons who are unable to vote at their polling o OHA to do their part. To fulfill the poten- The trustees who represent O'ahu and Maui must place on election day for any of the following tial of OHA, I urge every eligible person to reside on those islands. The remaining three reasons may do so by absentee ballot. vote for OHA trustees and in the General trustee seats are "at-large" and candidates may Individuals who: Election on Tuesday, November 6. By cast- live on any of the islands. l. live in a remote area; ing your ballot, you will be shaping the future However, all OHA voters may vote for a candi- 2. are hOp;1e bound, institutionalized or of OHA and the Hawaiian people. date in each of the four OHA races, regardless of disabled; Your right to vote is a precious posses- whether a candidate is running "at-large" or as a 3. are absent from their county or sion. Be exercising that freedom, you keep it resident of a particular island. district of residence; strong and help preserve it. So please, 4. are in prison for a misdemeanor Voting requirements or awaiting trial; remember to vote on Tuesday, November To vote in the OHA election, a person m_l!st be: 6, Mahalo and aloha. 5. hold a conflicting religious belief.- • of Hawaiian ancestry . continued page 35 - . -- • I 'Ao'ao Elua (Page 2) _ Nowemapa (November) 1990 NEXT ISSUE ORA Board Bu§ine§§ December 1 NEWS & ARTICLES DEADLINE: The Board of Trustees of the Office of Hawaiian B. Unanimous approval W<l S also voted to a November 10 Affa irs held its monthly business meeting on Sept. recommendation "to appropriate from Please submit articles 29 at the Ho'olehua Congregational Church on the Native HawCliian Rights Fund to pay the out- well in advance of Moloka'i. standing amount on legal services rendered by news deadline to: Present were Chairman Kaulukukui and Trus- Isaac I )avis Hall , attorney at law, in the OHA inter- Ka Wai Ola 0 OHA tee Akaka, Burgess, Ching, DeSoto, Hao and vention before the Mal li Land Use Commission on 1600 Kapiolani Blvd. Keale . the application of the Waihee Golf Course for land Suite 1500 Trustees Kahaialii and Mahoe w('re excused. .use redesigna tion. Honolulu, HI 96814 C. The board amended and accepted a Native Unfinished Business Hawaiian Legal Corporation (NHLC) "Case ADVERTISING DEADLINE Trustee Burgess asked what action the board Acceptance Criteria for Non-Land Title Project November 10 intends to take by Dr. Frank TabrCl h at the August Representation." It approves a rlispute resolution To advertise in Ka Wai Ola 0 OHA, board meeting on Kaua'i. Tabrah's report con- mechanism regarding potential conflicts of call Dave Chun at cerned the effects of electromagnetic radiation, in- interest between OHA and NHLC clients. The Innovation, 943-8599 cluding possible health problems suffered by amendment specifies that the mechanism is to be for ad rates and individuals living near the Lualualei Naval Radio considered an interim measure subject to the advertising particulars! Station transmitters on O'ahu. Tabrah recom- recommendations of an NHLC audit. Advertise in mended an independent group be formed to exa- D. Approval was granted to Cl rerommendation Ka Wai Ola 0 OHA mine radiation le ve ls. to appropriate $34,232 from special funds to At the Moloka'i meeting the matter was referred supplement the FY 1990-91 budget of the Native Support Our Advertisers! to the Committee on External Affairs. - Hawaiian Preservation Task Force. The request takes into consideration needed additional travel New Business funds for the repatriation to Kaua'i of remains The board considered two requests presented from the Smithsonian Institution, hearings on rele- dozed all but five trees, despite the direction of the at the Moloka'i community meeting held the pre- vant repatriation legislation and an unanticipated Department of Public Works Clnd community sup- vious evening. shift in the composition of the Task Force and port for preserving the trees. The trees were listed The first request was to fund a conference on fish- related intrastate travel costs. as rare or endangered on previous endangered ponds, water rights and other traditional rights. E. Pending review by the Committee on Extttr- species lists but were removed from the list in 1985. The matter was referred to the Committee on Sta- nal Affairs, the trustees gave tentative agreement G. A motion was approved directing staff to tus and Entitlements. to a proposal to establish the Onipa'a Award, and seek additional information on the federal disp06i- Moloka'i community members also requested a seven-member Onipa'a committee.