Why I voted NO on authorizing OHA’s Administration to start negotiations with the City & County of Honolulu to build a ‘stinky’ Sewage plant on Kaka’ako Makai
by OHA Trustee, Leina'ala Ahu Isa, PhD, Ka Wai Ola, April, 2019
Com’on OHA… have Will To Win! Stop letting everyone take advantage of our ‘Hawaiianess’... our Aloha spirit.. our kind, gracious, generous nature.
Translation: Why I voted NO on authorizing OHA’s Administration to start negotiations with the City & County of Honolulu to build a ‘stinky’ Sewage plant on Kaka’ako Makai. Yes, your ceded beneficiaries’ land! Please do not believe them when they say there will be NO SMELL! Right, this is what the Developers told Ironworkers Local 625 when they said that the Stadium steel beams would Never Rust!
But, the ‘real’ question is “ what do we Hawaiians get out of this?
Aloha Mai Kakou,
This short piece is written to help you understand what is happening to our Aloha ‘Aina Kaka’ako Makai, and why I voted the way I did (the only No vote). Elected in 2014, I was quite idealistic in thinking that with the $2.9M Master plan Rob Iopa’s WCIT created, we were going to be issuing RFPs to implement them.
Today it’s 2019 and what have we done? Nothing… And now because the City needs to give permits to luxury as well as other types of developers and need a plant where 20,000 toilets need a place to flush, they turn to OHA’s waterfront property. ..ceded lands.
After having a heart to heart talk with former Governor John Waihee , he agreed with me that once a City owned ‘stinky sewage plant’ is built on our lands, the value for the whole 31 acres would drop. Question he posed: “Why everything garbage on the Makai side..on OHA’s beneficiaries’ land? Why not Mauka side whose owners are KS and Howard Hughes. If they need the plant, why don’t they build it on their side and with today’s technology, they could build a Park over it..pay for it!” Why did the STATE give OHA land that contained a city dump in exchange for the $200M reparations owed to the Hawaiian people, and now the City wants to take over Lot I to build a sewage wastewater plant (which will smell).
Sell for $29M? A’ole! A’ole! And now the State wants Lot C for an International cable???
I hear our beneficiaries saying things like “Why hasn’t God given me more?” “Haven’t I done enough to deserve a better life?” (As our people suffer, don’t they deserve a better life?)
“What’s the point in trying? I could never be great at anything. MY LIFE is too hard. You wouldn’t understand. Why doesn’t OHA do something with that land to help us?”
If our mission, our goal is to change lives (for the betterment of our people), there can be no room for compromise. Let’s wipe away all excuses, distractions, and turn from negativity… and embrace positivity.
Translation:
(Why hasn’t the State given us the 20% revenue due us as mandated by the Constitution?)
(What’s the point in trying to do great things with Kaka’ako Makai if HCDA created/placed difficult Obstacles to block whatever plans we had?)
OHA (from the Trustees to the CEO) needs to instill that Will To Win if this Trust is to survive..if we are to build a secure sustainable trust fund for the many generations to come..into perpetuity.
Now you know why I was the only Trustee who voted NO on this Action Item at the Board of Trustee’s March 7th meeting.
Me ka ha’aha’a , In my humble opinion,
Na’u me ke aloha, na Trustee Lei Ahu Isa
* * * * *
Background:
Related:
SCR46: Text, Status
“APPROVING THE SALE OF CERTAIN LAND OWNED BY THE OFFICE OF HAWAIIAN AFFAIRS TO THE CITY AND COUNTY OF HONOLULU.” --- The fee interest in Parcel I was appraised to have a fair market value of $29,640,000;
RM/BAE March 5,, 2019
Executive Session
Consultation with Attorney Randall Sakumoto, Esq. and Board Attorney Robert G. Klein, Esq. pertaining to the OHA Board of Trustees’ powers, privileges, immunities, and liabilities regarding the potential Sale of Kaka’ako Makai Parcel Lot I, TMK (1) 2-1-015:061, to City & County of Honolulu. Pursuant to HRS section 92-5(a) (4).
New Business
Action Item RM/BAE #19-01: 1) Authorize and approve OHA CEO/Administration to resume negotiations with the City & County of Honolulu regarding the disposition of Kaka’ako Lot I, TMK (1) 2-1-015:061, and 2) approval of legislative resolution related to potential sale of Kaka’ako Lot I, TMK (1) 2-1-015:06 1, to the City and County of Honolulu.
OHA BOT March 7, 2019:
New Business:
B. Joint Committee on Beneficiary Advocacy and Empowerment and Resource Management 1. Action Item RM/BAE #19-0 1: 1) Authorize and approve OHA CEO/Administration to resume negotiations with the City & County of Honolulu regarding the disposition of Kaka’ako Lot I, TMK (1) 2-1-015:061, and 2) approval of legislative resolution related to potential sale of Kaka’ako Lot I, TMK (I) 2-1-015:061, to the City and County of Honolulu.
Executive Session:
Consultation with Attorney Randall Sakumoto, Esq. and Board Attorney Robert G. Klein, Esq. pertaining to the OHA Board of Trustees’ powers, privileges, immunities, and liabilities regarding the potential sale of Kaka’ako Makai Parcel Lot I, TMK(1) 2-1-015:061, to City & County of Honolulu. Pursuant to HR$ §92-5(’a,) (4,).