Wednesday, November 13, 2024
Hawai'i Free Press

Current Articles | Archives

Wednesday, May 3, 2017
Special Audit of OHA and Its Subsidiaries
By Keli'i Akina PhD @ 9:02 PM :: 4425 Views :: Ethics, OHA

Special Audit of OHA and Its Subsidiaries

by OHA Trustee Dr Keli’i Akina PhD, Ka Wai Ola, May, 2017

Your Board of Trustees has taken to heart the concerns of beneficiaries, and voted to authorize a special financial audit and management review of OHA and its subsidiaries. According to the approved Board action item, this audit seeks to identify areas of “waste, abuse and fraud...” among other purposes.

I am humbled to have been appointed Chair of the Advisory Committee for this special audit and consider it a daunting responsibility which can only be fulfilled with the support of fellow Trustees, administration and beneficiaries. I wholeheartedly commend OHA Chair Colette Machado and my fellow Trustees for approving the audit and demonstrating our shared commitment to a transparent and accountable OHA. Together, we can use the results of this audit to ensure that OHA funding is truly serving the crucial needs of Hawaiian beneficiaries such as housing, jobs, education, and healthcare.

A common question is “Why have beneficiaries called for a special audit when OHA currently does other audits?” The answer is simple. OHA routinely undergoes three audits with specific purposes (financial statements, federal grants, and the Legislative Auditor). However, these routine audits do not comprehensively and systematically hunt for the problems the special audit will deal with. For example, the Board approved action item states that this special audit will look into issues raised by beneficiaries and Trustees to “identify potential areas of waste, abuse and fraud in the procurement of goods and professional services.” 

This month, the structures and steps for executing the audit are being put in place. The Advisory Committee has begun to meet and is in the process of drafting the Request for Qualifications (RFQ) for independent, highly qualified accounting and/or auditing firms to conduct the audit. Our Advisory Committee reports to Trustee Carmen Hulu Lindsey who chairs the Resource Management Committee of which all Trustees are members. Trustee Hulu Lindsey brings her strong business background to her leadership of the RM Committee. Trustee Lei Ahu Isa has been appointed Vice Chair of the Advisory Committee. She brings to the table her many years of experience as a state legislator and member of the Board of Education.  Additionally, three Trustee Aides serve as members and provide the Advisory Committee with valuable legal, fiscal and policy expertise.

The ultimate purpose of the special audit is to serve the Hawaiian people, the beneficiaries on whose behalf OHA trustees and staff work so passionately and tirelessly.  With proper execution, this audit will empower OHA to fulfill its kuleana to protect and grow the trust, so that it will provide for the betterment of countless generations of Hawaiians to come. That’s why this audit is so very important.

---30---

Trustee Akina welcomes feedback. Contact him at TrusteeAkina@oha.org or 594-1976.

Links

TEXT "follow HawaiiFreePress" to 40404

Register to Vote

2aHawaii

Aloha Pregnancy Care Center

AntiPlanner

Antonio Gramsci Reading List

A Place for Women in Waipio

Ballotpedia Hawaii

Broken Trust

Build More Hawaiian Homes Working Group

Christian Homeschoolers of Hawaii

Cliff Slater's Second Opinion

DVids Hawaii

FIRE

Fix Oahu!

Frontline: The Fixers

Genetic Literacy Project

Grassroot Institute

Habele.org

Hawaii Aquarium Fish Report

Hawaii Aviation Preservation Society

Hawaii Catholic TV

Hawaii Christian Coalition

Hawaii Cigar Association

Hawaii ConCon Info

Hawaii Debt Clock

Hawaii Defense Foundation

Hawaii Family Forum

Hawaii Farmers and Ranchers United

Hawaii Farmer's Daughter

Hawaii Federation of Republican Women

Hawaii History Blog

Hawaii Jihadi Trial

Hawaii Legal News

Hawaii Legal Short-Term Rental Alliance

Hawaii Matters

Hawaii Military History

Hawaii's Partnership for Appropriate & Compassionate Care

Hawaii Public Charter School Network

Hawaii Rifle Association

Hawaii Shippers Council

Hawaii Together

HiFiCo

Hiram Fong Papers

Homeschool Legal Defense Hawaii

Honolulu Navy League

Honolulu Traffic

House Minority Blog

Imua TMT

Inouye-Kwock, NYT 1992

Inside the Nature Conservancy

Inverse Condemnation

July 4 in Hawaii

Land and Power in Hawaii

Lessons in Firearm Education

Lingle Years

Managed Care Matters -- Hawaii

MentalIllnessPolicy.org

Missile Defense Advocacy

MIS Veterans Hawaii

NAMI Hawaii

Natatorium.org

National Parents Org Hawaii

NFIB Hawaii News

NRA-ILA Hawaii

Obookiah

OHA Lies

Opt Out Today

Patients Rights Council Hawaii

Practical Policy Institute of Hawaii

Pritchett Cartoons

Pro-GMO Hawaii

RailRipoff.com

Rental by Owner Awareness Assn

Research Institute for Hawaii USA

Rick Hamada Show

RJ Rummel

School Choice in Hawaii

SenatorFong.com

Talking Tax

Tax Foundation of Hawaii

The Real Hanabusa

Time Out Honolulu

Trustee Akina KWO Columns

Waagey.org

West Maui Taxpayers Association

What Natalie Thinks

Whole Life Hawaii