Office of Hawaiian Affairs Ratifies Independent Audit

Trustee Keli‘i Akina appointed to chair audit committee

News Release from Office of OHA Trustee Dr Kelii Akina, PhD, March 23, 2017

HONOLULU, HI- Today, the Office of Hawaiian Affairs Board of Trustees voted to ratify “a financial audit and management review of OHA and its subsidiaries.”[1] The Board approved the audit by a vote of 8-0 (Trustee Ahuna was absent). Among other goals stated in the action item approved today, the audit seeks to “identify potential areas of waste, fraud and abuse in the procurement of goods and professional services.”

Resource Management Committee Chair Carmen Hulu Lindsey appointed Trustee Keli‘i Akina to lead the Audit Advisory Committee tasked with drafting a request for qualifications (RFQ). The Audit Advisory Committee will consist of Trustee Akina (Chair), Trustee Lei Ahu Isa (Vice Chair) and three non-Trustee staff. Chair Hulu Lindsey has asked the Audit Advisory Committee to supervise the audit process after the auditing firm is procured.

According to Trustee Akina, “I am grateful to my fellow Trustees for their commitment to transparency and accountability as the foundation for building a strong OHA that meets the needs of its beneficiaries. The audit approved today by the Board of Trustees is unique from all other audits in OHA’s history, as it will provide a systematic examination of serious concerns that have been raised by trustees, beneficiaries and the community at large.”

Native Hawaiian beneficiaries of OHA came to the Board meeting today in support of the audit.  The OHA Board’s action today reflects its mission to achieve a greater level of transparency and responsiveness to the needs of its beneficiaries.

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PDF: RM 17-02

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.

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. 

SA: OHA board agrees to independent auditor