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Editor’s note: For Hawaii’s Nov. 5 General 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 Keli’i Akina, candidate for Office of Hawaiian Affairs at-large trustee. His opponent is Lei Ahu Isa.

Go to Civil Beat’s Election Guide for general information, and check out other candidates on the General Election Ballot.

1. What do you see as the most pressing problem facing Native Hawaiians, and what will you do about it?

There are numerous pressing problems facing Hawaiians today, ranging from personal needs for housing, health care, education, jobs and economic empowerment, to the needs of Hawaiians as a people in the areas of identity, culture, politics and the aina.  

These problems cannot be solved apart from each other. That is why I am proud of the work I have been able to develop with my fellow OHA trustees to address these problems comprehensively through a 15-year strategic plan, known as  “Mana i Mauli Ola” (Strength to Well-being). Funding, implementing and ensuring that Hawaiians see results is a major part of my commitment to the beneficiaries of OHA.

One pressing problem which affects Hawaiians is the high cost of living, especially the struggle to obtain adequate housing. As a trustee at-large, I will continue to support efforts to develop economic self-sufficiency among Hawaiians through education, training and access to financial capital.

Economic self-sufficiency, not dependence on public welfare, is what will advance Hawaiians to the place where they can create inter-generational wealth. Additionally, I will continue to support the use of OHA funds for affordable housing and partnerships with the Hawaiian homelands and the Ali’i trusts.

2. Should OHA be subject to oversight by the Hawaii State Ethics Commission?

Most definitely, yes.

On March 5, 2024, the OHA Trustees voted to submit an amicus brief to the Hawaii Supreme Court in which OHA argued that the State Ethics Commission has no jurisdiction over OHA. I voted against this board action, and ultimately the court refused to accept OHA’s legal brief.

In a statement reported by Civil Beat, I explained, “I am concerned that the amicus brief will be perceived as an attempt by OHA to evade accountability to state ethics laws and oversight. Courts have ruled that the Office of Hawaiian Affairs is a state agency whose leadership and employees are subject to the standards of conduct and behavior expected of all state personnel.”

When I first ran to become an OHA trustee, it was to confront fraud, waste and abuse in the organization. After years of working toward a forensic review of OHA’s finances, numerous unethical practices were exposed.

To OHA’s credit, the organization has since taken decisive steps to protect against fraud, waste and abuse, and OHA is now a different place than it once was. But trustees must remain watchful and be accountable to an independent ethics commission.

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?

I support the pono management and protection of Mauna Kea as well as the construction of the TMT. Like many Hawaiians, including Hōkūleʻa navigators, I believe that there is room on the Mauna for both culture and science. These are each important Hawaiian values.

A respectfully maintained Mauna Kea and scientific discovery hold the promise of cultural, economic and educational benefits for Native Hawaiians and all people of Hawaii. However, before TMT development can go forward, a collaborative effort between OHA and the State of Hawaii is needed to provide proper stewardship.

The new management structure could help resolve long-standing disputes. However, most recently, OHA filed a lawsuit to repeal the Mauna Kea Stewardship and Oversight Authority because OHA claims that the MKSOA is unconstitutional. This is a major indicator that OHA and the State of Hawaii must finally settle long-standing disputes and work together to malama the aina. 

4. What role should the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands play in reducing homelessness?

In addition to its primary function of developing and awarding Hawaiian Homestead lots, the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands can play a large role in reducing homelessness. For example, as DHHL reduces its waiting list (which includes homeless applicants), it will reduce the homelessness rate within the Hawaiian community and prevent many other waitlisters from becoming homeless. Additionally, DHHL owns ample land for short-term and temporary structures which could provide transitional housing.

But this is not just DHHL’s problem. It must also become OHA’s kuleana.

One of my first responsibilities when I became an OHA trustee was to lead a committee tasked with reviewing OHA’s annual $3 million commitment to DHHL. These funds were used to help DHHL pay interest on revenue bonds to finance infrastructure, allowing development of nearly 500 homesteads for Hawaiian families. This is a good start, but there are other possibilities for collaboration, including:

Developing affordable rental housing projects that offer interim housing to beneficiaries awaiting homesteads.

Developing and leasing of DHHL condos and apartments.

Fostering commercial development to generate revenue to fund housing.

As a trustee at large, I will continue to push for cooperation between OHA and DHHL.

5. Why do you think Hawaiians are disproportionately represented in our prisons and jails? What can be done about it?

There are numerous reasons Hawaiians are disproportionately represented in our prisons and jails. For example, problems many young Hawaiians experience at home often lead them down the wrong paths. Additionally, lack of educational and economic opportunities lead many Hawaiian youth to make decisions detrimental to their future.

Also, the undermining of Hawaiian cultural identity and the lack of culturally competent approaches to help Hawaiians succeed has contributed to detrimental paths for many young Hawaiians.

For these reasons, I am pleased that the 15-year strategic plan (Mana i Mauli Ola), which other OHA trustees and I have developed, puts significant emphasis on empowering families (ohana) and building cultural, educational and economic empowerment. It must begin in the restoration of Hawaiian families as centers for nurture, protection and growth. 

Specifically, we must strengthen pathways for Native Hawaiian success in education, health, economic stability and housing. Through funding, administering and monitoring results of OHA’s Strategic Plan, we can reduce the number of Hawaiians in our prisons and jails. I will continue to push for this.

6. What are your views regarding Hawaiian self-determination?

Hawaiians have the constitutional right to pursue self-determination.

However, there is much diversity of thought within the Hawaiian community on how to bring about self-determination. Some believe in federal recognition while others oppose it. At the same time many other Hawaiians believe that they can preserve their cultural identity and flourish under the rights accorded by the United States Constitution.

Given the diversity of viewpoints regarding Hawaiian self-determination, it is essential that we respectfully engage each other in this important debate and be sensitive to the diversity of perspectives. The journey toward clarity and a solution can only start with a coming together of the Hawaiian community. We must pupukahi i holomua — unite to move forward.

7. Is OHA getting its fair share of ceded-land revenues from the state?

OHA is not receiving its legally entitled share of the ceded land revenues from the State of Hawaii. Independent audits of the ceded land revenues show that OHA is legally entitled to $78.9 million annually. However, since 2022, OHA is only receiving an “interim” annual share of $21.5 million from the state.

A significant obstacle for OHA not receiving its full 20% pro rata share has been the lack of accounting of the ceded lands trust. Although both the state and federal governments are legally obligated to conduct this accounting, it has never occurred. Consequently, Hawaiians have never received their constitutionally entitled portion of the revenues.

Now is the time for OHA to redouble its efforts to ensure that the federal and state government comply with the law. Hopefully, as one avenue, the current Public Land Trust Working Group, which includes OHA and DLNR, will result in OHA receiving its legally entitled share of the ceded land revenue. The OHA board must also consider its legal options.

8. Is OHA fulfilling its mandate to serve the Hawaiian people?

Since my election as an OHA trustee in 2016, I have supported OHA’s mandate to “better the conditions” of Hawaiians by helping steward the Native Hawaiian Trust Fund. Specifically, I have made it my priority to protect the trust fund through forensic audits and financial reforms, grow the trust fund by pursuing real estate acquisition and development and use the trust fund to better the conditions of Hawaiians.

In some of these areas, OHA has made great strides. To protect the trust, significant reforms have been instituted, preventing the kind of fraud, waste and abuse I encountered when I first became a trustee. 

In terms of growing the trust, we have new land holdings such as an expansion of commercial property in Iwilei and our financial portfolio has grown. However, there is still much to be done such as resolving issues which have limited the development of Kakaako Makai. 

And finally, in terms of properly using the trust, significant advances have been made in the quality and annual financial awards made by OHA’s grants program. This is in line with our aggressive 15-year Strategic Plan (Mana I Mauli Ola). 

9. Is Hawaii managing its tourism industry properly? What should be handled differently?

While there is more Hawaii can do to better manage our tourism industry, recent efforts are to be commended. The conflict between economic and cultural values of tourism is being newly addressed through the state’s reaching out to Hawaiian groups.

For example, to generate further growth, the Hawaii Tourism Authority has partnered with the Council for Native Hawaiian Advancement (CNHA) to create a more authentic Hawaiian experience for tourists and to cultivate their respect of the aina and culture.

I have long felt that there is a significant role for OHA to play in this type of collaboration with the state, and I will continue to work toward that. One example of OHA’s contribution to the proper balance of economics and culture could be the development of a Hawaiian Cultural Center at Kakaako Makai.   

It was for this reason I supported the recent Festival of the Pacific (FestPac) sponsorship by OHA, which brought together a record number of Pacific indigenous peoples and nations, as well as hundreds of thousands of local and visiting attendees. FestPac was a model of honoring the indigenous cultures of Hawaii and the Pacific while welcoming tourism.

10. How would you make OHA more transparent and accessible to the public and the Hawaiian people?

When I was elected an OHA trustee in 2016, one of my first actions was calling for an independent forensic audit of OHA’s financial activities. A follow-up review found evidence of fraud, waste and abuse for several transactions dating from 2012 to 2016.

Since then, OHA has implemented internal policies that seek to ensure more transparency and accountability from OHA. These policies are intended to prevent fraud, waste and abuse from occurring in the future. 

Additionally, it is important for the public to hold OHA’s trustees accountable for the highest standard of ethics. That is why I have opposed efforts to remove OHA from oversight by the Hawaii State Ethics Commission (see my response to Question No. 2 of this survey).

As OHA moves forward, I will continue to be a watchdog and advocate for OHA to be even more transparent and accessible to the public and the Hawaiian people. Access to meetings, recordings and documents must be assured to our beneficiaries and the public.

It is our duty as trustees of OHA to protect, grow and use OHA’s resources to better the conditions of Hawaiians.