With an exceptional 200,071 votes, the people of Hawai‘i have re-elected me as a Trustee At-Large for the Office of Hawaiian Affairs (OHA). With majorities statewide and in every county, voters saw fit to return me to OHA to continue the work I started when I was first elected in 2016. I am grateful for the friends, family, and the many voters I met during the campaign, and for those whom I have not met, but who put their trust in me. Mahalo!
My congratulations go to Kaua‘i Trustee Dan Ahuna and Moloka‘i Trustee Luana Alapa on their re-elections. And a warm welina mai to Kai Kahele, our new Hawaiʻi Island trustee, as well as a fond aloha to Trustee Mililani Trask as she retires from that position. Also, much mahalo to my friend Lei Ahu Isa for her lifetime of dedicated public service.
The opportunity to continue serving on OHA’s board of trustees is much more than an election victory. It is a sacred kuleana, a mandate to better the conditions of Native Hawaiians.
As I reflect on my past service and look forward to the years ahead, I am reminded of the most important role of a trustee. That role is to steward the Native Hawaiian Trust Fund which is the resource base for bettering the conditions of Hawaiians.
When I was first elected in 2016, I made a three-fold promise to PROTECT the trust, GROW the trust, and USE the trust to meet the needs of Native Hawaiians. That is what I have worked toward over the past eight years and will continue to do, by God’s grace, in the years to come.
To protect the trust, I called for an independent audit and spearheaded a forensic review of OHA’s finances which exposed fraud, waste and abuse. Subsequently, OHA adopted reforms and practices that now ensure accountability and transparency. I plan to continue serving as a watchdog for our beneficiaries, standing up when needed against anything that might compromise ethics and integrity at OHA.
To grow the trust, I have worked with my fellow trustees to significantly increase OHA’s land and financial holdings. As I return to office, I will continue to work on growing the trust through the development of OHA’s properties such as Kakaʻako Makai (Hakuone) and Iwilei.
In addition, I will continue to pursue Native Hawaiians’ right to their legally entitled share of the Public Land Trust (ceded lands) revenue.
Finally, to use the trust to meet the needs of Hawaiians, I will continue to work on developing economic self- sufficiency for our people. This requires a comprehensive approach to empowering Hawaiians to rise above the challenges we face in housing, employment, education, and healthcare.
That is why I look forward to building on the work which my fellow trustees and I have done to address these challenges through our 15-year strategic plan, known as “Mana i Mauli Ola” (Strength to Wellbeing).
For the next four years, I have committed myself to partner with my fellow OHA trustees to protect the trust, grow the trust, and use the trust to better the conditions of Native Hawaiians.
Please share your manaʻo with me and know that my office is always open to hear your concerns and suggestions. I humbly ask for your prayers that I will faithfully carry out my duties as an OHA trustee. Mahalo again for the privilege and honor of serving our lāhui.
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