Candidate Q&A: OHA Trustee At Large — C. Kaui Amsterdam
“Hawaiian independence is a justifiable alternative consistent with theÌý 1978Ìý constitutional convention’s OHA mandate to ‘facilitate the process of self-determination leading to self-governance.'”
1. Is OHA fulfilling its mandate to serve the Hawaiian people?
OHA is fulfilling some of its mandate to serve the Hawaiian people. It’s importantÌýto elect me to expand OHA’s vision, greatly increase service to meet importantÌýneeds, improve lives, and make Native Hawaiians a major player and great againÌýin Hawaii, America and the world.
2. What would you do to change how OHA is run?Ìý
I would change how OHA is run by expanding the vision of OHA and advancing suchÌýconsistent and impactful action. In fulfilling the OHA mandate to advance a governing or government entity as presented by the 1978 constitutional convention, I wouldÌýtransfer OHA’s authority to a greater one of the governing or government entity,Ìýwhich would meet the needs and “social determinants” of our Native Hawaiian People. OHA could continue as a state agency in a relationship with the Native Hawaiian government entity. I invite voters to vote for and elect me and spread the wordÌýso I can advance such important change.
3. What do you see as the most pressing issue facing Native Hawaiians? What will youÌýdo about it?
The most pressing issue facing Native Hawaiians is restoration or establishment and advancement of a Native Hawaiian governing or government entity. This priority isÌýconsistent with or supported by the 1978 constitutional convention’s OHA mandateÌýto “facilitate the process of self-determination leading to self-governance” of NativeÌýHawaiians. I shall fulfill that mandate by restoring and advancing the Native Hawaiian government entity, which includes the Kingdom alternative.
First, I’ll apply my historicalÌýknowledge that our Native Hawaiian People experienced, lived within, and enjoyedÌýa cultural governing or government entity, being that of a Kingdom. The loss of our governing entity also resulted in the undermining, weakening, and loss of whatÌýOHA calls “social determinants” of governance, aina, culture, education, economical development, health, and positive self-image, identity, esteem, and aÌýmarginalization of Native Hawaiians.
Second, I shall fulfill my aim to restore our cultural governing or government entity and strengthen our “social determinants.”
4.Ìý What are your views regarding Hawaiian independence?
Hawaiian independence is a justifiable alternative consistent with theÌý 1978Ìý constitutional convention’s OHA mandate to “facilitate the process of self-determination leading to self-governance.” The justification for the self-governance of Hawaiian independence is elaborated in the previous questionÌý3, which describes the adversity of Native Hawaiians resulting with theÌýloss of the Kingdom of Hawaii and Hawaiian independence. Such adversityÌýincludes Native Hawaiians becoming marginalized and disempowered andÌýthe undermining and loss of “social determinants,” which include governance, aina, culture, education, economic development, health, self-image and identity, self-esteem, and associated adverse elements.
Accordingly, restoration and advancement of self-governance or government of the alternative of the Hawaiian Kingdom and subsequentÌýHawaiian Independence will facilitate restoring and strengthening “social determinants,” being major players rather than marginal or minor characters, and making our Native Hawaiian people great again. With suchÌýan advancement of self-government and Hawaiian independence usingÌýthe alternative of the Hawaiian Kingdom within the boundaries of theÌýCrown Land(s) and separate from the State of Hawaii, Native HawaiiansÌýand those associated with the Hawaiian government could claim duelÌýassociations or citizenship such as in Great Britain, Israel, and such other governments.
5. Is OHA getting its fair share of ceded-land revenue from the state?Ìý
No, OHA is not getting its fair share of ceded-land revenue from the state. With the enactment of Act 178, Session Laws of Hawaii 2006, that set anÌýannual interim figure of $ 15,100,000, little progress has been made to get OHA’s fair share. First, OHA’s inability to get its fair share of revenue isÌýa manifestation ofÌý our Native Hawaiian People’s disempowerment andÌýmarginalizaion previously described due to loss of Native Hawaiian cultural governance or government entity being that of a Kingdom.
Second,Ìýa history of the Crown Lands, which with annexation of Hawaii to the United States became known as ceded-lands, which with statehood of Hawaii became known as public lands, further exemplifies a process ofÌýdisempowerment of Native Hawaiians. Controlling the Crown Lands,Ìýthe state treats the Native Hawaiians of OHA in a marginal manner.
Third, although itÌý can continue to bicker with the state for annualÌýpayments and because of their marginalization, Native HawaiiansÌýof OHA will continue to experience problems in receiving revenue.
Additionally, being marginalized, Native Hawaiians in OHA and otherÌýorganizations will experience similar problems and worry about receiving so called entitlements. Therefore, the solution to receivingÌýrevenue from Crown Lands is by advancing the self-governmentÌýas mandated by the constitutional convention of 1978, transferringÌýthe Crown Lands and its control back into the government entity,Ìýand directly receiving and using Crown Lands revenue.
6. Why do you think Hawaiians are disproportionately represented in ourÌýprisons and jails?
Hawaiians are disproportionately represented in our prisons and jailsÌýas a result of a loss of Native Hawaiian cultural governance or government entity being that of a Hawaiian Kingdom. Subsequently, such aÌýloss resulted in the weakening and loss of what OHA calls “self-determinants, and associated issue and problem of incarceration and theÌýsubsequent disproportionate representation of Hawaiians in our prisonsÌýand jails. Such additional issues and problems include foster children,Ìýunstable families, low educational achievement, unemployment, weakÌýeconomic development, poor health, and low self-image, identity, and esteem.
7. Do you support the construction of the Thirty Meter Telescope atopÌýMauna Kea?
Mauna Kea is Crown Land and as such further exemplifies the necessity of Native Hawaiians having our governing or government entity,Ìýwhich enables or empowers control over such Crown Land as MaunaÌýÌýÌýÌý Kea. Trying to communicate with those involved with the issue, I haveÌýfound it difficult to get a mutual response.
Nonetheless, if it is foundÌýthat the Thirty Meter Telescope will be built, I would propose that itÌýbe in honor of our Native Hawaiian people, our monarchial leaders,Ìýand named after our last acting monarch, Queen Lydia Liliuokalani.ÌýIf not built, the issue is moot.
8. What role should the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands play inÌýreducing homelessness?
The Department of Hawaiian Home Lands can continue to play itsÌýrole of providing home lands for Native Hawaiians. Greater efficiency is needed to provide home lands. Accordingly, such effeciency is needed in taking on homeless Native Hawaiians. On theÌýother hand, with advancing our Native Hawaiian self-governingÌýor government entity would also result in control of Crown Lands,Ìýwhich would significantly increase the number of Native Hawaiian home lands including homeless Hawaiians and thereby reduceÌýhomelessness.
At the same time, the Department of HawaiianÌýHome Lands could be replaced with a Department or Ministry ofÌýHousing and Construction to provide Native Hawaiians land andÌýhome financing.
9. Do you support or oppose holding a state constitutional convention?ÌýWhy or why not?
As previously explained, since the 1978 constitutional conventionÌýalready mandated OHA to facilitate the process of self-determinationÌýleading to self-governance, all that is needed is for OHA and NativeÌýÌýÌýÌý Hawaiian beneficiaries to accept responsibility, take action, and advance self-governance or a self-government entity. This can beÌýaccomplished with or without a current state constitutional convention and support and it shouldn’t matter either way. Yet, the convention’s mandate assistance and without reason to do otherwise would merit convention support and participation toward its success.
10. What other important issue would you like to discuss here?
Since I also have been educated in the health sciences such as theÌýUniversity of California Medical Center at San Francisco, AHEPAÌýHospital as part of Aristotle University at Thessaloniki, Greece, andÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý UCLA, and have practical experience such as providing patient careÌýfor kupuna at the King Lunalilo Home. I enjoy serving and meetingÌýthe health and social platient or client needs. Accordingly, thereÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý presently are serious and urgent needs of family and foster children, particularly on the Big Island of Hawaii. There is a great shortageÌýof case workers and staff to meet these needs. Their condition is aÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý manifestation of the weakened “social determinants,” which I previously described.
Although I reside on Oahu, I chose to be an OHA trustee at large so I can serve and help the families and foster children particularly on the Big Island of Hawaii. I please ask yourÌýconsideration to be elected so I can serve and assist our Native Hawaiian families and foster children particularly on theÌýBig Island of Hawaii.
Mahalo and Aloha for such consideration.
