Candidate Q&A: Office Of Hawaiian Affairs Hawaii Island Trustee — Hope Alohalani Cermelj
“Kanaka are still being held in jail illegally, unlawfully. Release them.”
Editor’s note: For Hawaii’s Aug. 10 Primary Election, Civil Beat asked candidates to answer some questions about where they stand on various issues and what their priorities will be if elected.
The following came from Hope Alohalani Cermelj, candidate for Office Of Hawaiian Affairs Hawaii Island Trustee. His primary opponents are Z. Ka’apana Aki, Kaialiʻi Kahele and Hulali Waltjen-Kuilipule.
Go to Civil Beat’s Election Guide for general information, and check out other candidates on the Primary Election Ballot.
Candidate for Office of Hawaiian Affairs Hawaii Island Trustee
Community organizations/prior offices held
1. What do you see as the most pressing problem facing Native Hawaiians, and what will you do about it?
Receiving and applying for college, university, trade school funding from OHA as stated in OHA policy. Help all Hawaii island students with funding for higher education
2. Should OHA be subject to oversight by the Hawaii State Ethics Commission?
Absolutely. Even though the Ethics Commission has its respective issues. too. Transparency, accountability, compassion for Kanaka is imperative.
3. Do you support the construction of the TMT atop Mauna Kea? Why or why not? Could the new management structure help to resolve long-standing disputes?
Never. Sacred ground has been violated for decades. We will go up again to protect sacred lake, plants, aina, chanting sites.
4. What role should the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands play in reducing homelessness?
DHHL’s kuleana is to prepare the waiting lists as soon as possible. Kanaka have died on the waiting list. How long have they waited? Enough already. The director should be replaced as soon as possible as well. No action, no job.
5. Why do you think Hawaiians are disproportionately represented in our prisons and jails? What can be done about it?
Kanaka are still being held in jail illegally, unlawfully. Release them.
OHA can financially help each inmate upon release. Again, the kuleana of OHA is the betterment of conditions for all Native Hawaiians.
6. What are your views regarding Hawaiian self-determination?
Like Uncle Robert Sr. said, “the Kingdom of Hawaii still exists. We never left.” Stand our ground.
7. Is OHA getting its fair share of ceded-land revenues from the state?
No, as per their funding statement, revenue from Kanaka land, and 3.8% of Public Land Trust (although by law, it should be 20%), is not going to OHA general fund account.
8. Is OHA fulfilling its mandate to serve the Hawaiian people?
No. Keiki should be granted “full boat“ money for schools of their respective choice. Letters could be generated by all trustees on all islands to DHHL to give them their land to live, thrive, plant, work. Not on lease, but to own respectively.
9. Is Hawaii managing its tourism industry properly? What should be handled differently?
All tour companies, especially out-of-state tourism companies, can pay their fair share to OHA via a tariff or tourism tax, since the islands are thriving again in tourism.
10. How would you make OHA more transparent and accessible to the public and the Hawaiian people?
Besides their wonderful magazine monthly, each trustee can do outreach, talk story, get involved in the forever waiting list of DHHL.
In aloha we trust. If you don’t vote, you cannot grumble.
