Trustee Akina’s Proposal for Special OHA Audit Passes Resource Committee

Akina Appointed to Ad Hoc Audit Committee

News Release from Office of OHA Trustee Dr Keli’i Akina PhD, February 8, 2017

HONOLULU, HI-  The Office of Hawaiian Affairs Resource Management Committee today approved a special audit proposed by Trustee Keli‘i Akina, Ph.D., to examine the finances of OHA and its related subsidiaries.  The audit will go beyond OHA`s routine audits and seeks to identify areas of “waste, abuse and fraud in procurement,” among other purposes.  Trustee Akina`s PowerPoint presentation to the board, in support of the special audit, is attached.

“I am grateful that the Board of Trustees has decided to go ahead with a very important audit of OHA’s finances that goes beyond the standard audits. Now, our beneficiaries and the public must hold our feet to the fire as the scope and depth of the audit are defined,” Trustee Akina said.

The RM Committee, chaired by Trustee Carmen Hulu Lindsey, approved the issuance of the RFQ (request for qualifications). The RM Committee also appointed Trustee Akina to a newly established ad hoc committee to manage the RFQ and determine the scope of the audit.  Other appointed members of the ad hoc committee are Trustee Colette Machado, and Trustee Akina’s aide, financial analyst Paul Harleman, MBA.

The RM Committee, whose membership consists of all the members of the Board of Trustees, voted unanimously in favor of both actions.  The two actions advanced today will go to the full Board of Trustees for final readings, as a procedural formality.

DISCLAIMER: The views expressed in this news release are the personal views of Trustee Akina and may not reflect the views of the Office of Hawaiian Affairs or its Board of Trustees.

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Keliʻi Akina, Ph.D., is a community leader who is known for the phrase he has coined, "E Hana Kākou" - Let's work together! Over the past several years as a public policy adviser at the legislative, congressional and international levels, Dr. Akina’s mission has been to preserve the Aloha Spirit by which native Hawaiians and people of all races are welcomed and encouraged to work together for a better future for all our keiki. He is president and CEO of the Grassroot Institute of Hawaii, a nonprofit, independent think tank.

Related:

PDF: Action Item Slideshow

PDF: Action Item 17-03