OHA Trustees Confirm Order Requiring LLCs to Open Books

Trustee Akina Calls on LLCs to cooperate with audit

News Release from office of OHA Trustee Keli’i Akina, PhD February 7, 2018

HONOLULU, HI - Today, the Office of Hawaiian Affairs Board of Trustees confirmed an action requiring its LLCs to comply with information requests for its check registers.  The measure passed with eight votes. Only Trustee Peter Apo, who had stepped out of the Board room, was absent when the vote was taken. 

The independent audit is a separate endeavor from the recently completed state legislative audit of OHA.

Trustee Keli'i Akina, chair of the Audit Advisory Committee said, "Serious questions have been raised concerning the finances of OHA’s LLCs. Now that the OHA board has made it clear that the LLCs must open their books to the independent auditor, I call upon the LLCs to cooperate fully with the internal audit.”   

Although OHA has been the subject of a recent State audit, the independent audit will cover additional territory as it examines OHA's LLCs for potential fraud, waste and abuse.

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OHA Trustees Order LLC Managers to Provide Check Registers for Independent Audit

Trustee Keli‘i Akina comments on independent audit and leaked state audit

News Release from OHA Trustee Keli’i Akina, PhD January 31, 2018

HONOLULU, HI- The Office of Hawaiian Affairs Committee on Resource Management today unanimously moved to order its LLC managers to provide check registers related to OHA’s LLCs, clearing a significant hurdle for the independent audit approved by the Board of Trustees in 2017.

The Trustees’ action today coincided with an alleged leak of the state’s own audit of OHA to news media.

“While I am not at liberty to comment on the specific contents of the state audit before it is officially released, it indicates the need for OHA to get its financial house in order. OHA’s independent audit is an important step in that direction,” Trustee Akina said.  “While the state audit may indicate problems within OHA, the independent audit will take a deeper look at why these problems exist in both OHA and its LLCs.”

Trustee Akina, as chair of the Audit Advisory Committee, crafted the scope of work for the independent audit in an effort to identify instances of fraud, waste and abuse within OHA and its LLCs.

“Both the state audit, and OHA’s independent audit constitute a real win for the beneficiaries of OHA and all citizens of Hawai‘i who demand transparency and accountability in public institutions,” Trustee Akina said.

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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 public policy think tank.

FH: Office of Hidden Affairs

CB: OHA Demands Financial Details From Its Own Companies