Thursday, November 21, 2024
Hawai'i Free Press

Current Articles | Archives

Monday, May 19, 2014
Grassroot Institute Applauds Trustees' Call to Halt Nation-Building
By Grassroot Institute @ 12:56 PM :: 5090 Views :: Akaka Bill, OHA

Grassroot Institute Applauds Trustees' Call to Halt Nation-Building

News Release from Grassroot Institute

HONOLULU, Hawaii—May 19, 2014—Two trustees of the Office of Hawaiian Affairs are now on record calling on the organization to move beyond its pursuit of sovereign Hawaiian nationhood. Peter Apo, in his recent blog entry, stated, "The core of OHA’s fiduciary duty, founded as a sacred trust for the benefit of Native Hawaiians and Hawaiians, is being threatened and undermined by the out of control distraction of nation building." Mr. Apo goes on to propose that OHA relinquish its role in nation-building, including, "cancelling the proposed ‘Aha and reducing the scope of activities of our Washington D.C. office."

Apo's statement echoes the earlier sentiments expressed by trustee Oswald Stender, in which Stender discussed the lack of interest in the Native Hawaiian Roll, concluding that, "there are other issues we should be working on rather than building this government that is not going to work.”

It is notable that both Mr. Apo and Mr. Stender called attention to the vast sums that OHA has spent in the nation-building process, questioning whether it was really the best way for OHA to fulfill its duty to help Native Hawaiians. Mr. Apo writes, "What good would it be to have a nation if our people are broke, homeless, uneducated and disabled and our most revered Hawaiian institutions struggle to survive? By focusing on improving these conditions of existence, Hawaiians will be strengthened and can make informed choices to pursue whatever forms of nation on which they can agree independent of OHA."

Neither Mr. Apo nor Mr. Stender condemned Hawaiian nation-building outright, but rather expressed their belief that OHA should remove itself from the process and leave the question of self-determination and nationhood to other groups.

Keli'i Akina, President of Grassroot Institute says, "We applaud the words of Trustees Peter Apo and Oswald Stender, especially their honesty and their ability to recognize the inherent problems in OHA's nation-building process. We call upon the other Trustees to step up and take the reasonable and responsible action of cancelling OHA's efforts to build a government-sponsored, race-based nation, and redirect their attention and funds to issues that will be more effective in addressing the needs of Native Hawaiians and our state."

Dr. Akina continues, "Grassroot Institute is on record pointing out the serious Constitutional and practical questions of a government agency attempting to establish a sovereign nation.  We are deeply concerned that the Native Hawaiian Roll process has not served the real needs of the Hawaiian people and all citizens of the State of Hawaii.

"It is time to put an end to actions which divide Hawaii's people and to start working together to unify and strengthen Hawaii," Dr. Akina concluded.

###

About the Grassroot Institute of Hawaii:

Grassroot Institute of Hawaii is a nonprofit, nonpartisan research institute dedicated to the principles of individual liberty, the free market, and limited, accountable government throughout Hawai`i and the Asia-Pacific region.  Read more about us at http://www.grassrootinstitute.org/

Like us on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/GrassrootInstitute

Donate to help us grow: http://tinyurl.com/GrassrootDonate

Tweet us at http://twitter.com/grassroothawaii

About Grassroot President:

Dr. Akina is a recognized scholar, educator, public policy spokesperson, and community leader. In 2012, he was a candidate for the non-partisan position of Trustee in the Office of Hawaiian Affairs.  Akina has decades-long experience leading non-profit organizations including Youth for Christ Hawai`i and the Center for Tomorrow’s Leaders. An expert in East-West Philosophy, he has taught at universities in China and the United States, and continues as an adjunct instructor at Hawai`i Pacific University and the University of Hawai`i at Mānoa. Read more: http://bit.ly/AkinaBioInfo

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