Beneficiaries object to quarreling at OHA

Stop the bickering and focus on improving the lives of Native Hawaiians.

That’s what testifiers told the feuding Office of Hawaiian Affairs Board of Trustees and its administrator Tuesday at a meeting that also saw sign-toting demonstrators urging the leadership to formally engage in hooponopono, the Hawaiian practice of reconciliation and forgiveness.

But signals aren’t good for an early peaceful resolution to the ongoing power struggle.

While the rest of the board was meeting behind closed doors, board Chairwoman Rowena Akana crossed swords with a woman who started an online petition urging “pono” (righteous) leadership. The petition seeks to dump Akana as board leader and reaffirm the position of CEO Kamana‘opono Crabbe.

Akana told Kaui Pratt-Aquino that what she’s doing isn’t fair and that the trustees have a right to dismiss any administrator who isn’t doing his job. Crabbe, Akana said, has “misspent millions and millions of dollars.”

Pratt-Aquino shot back, “You know what amazes me about our interaction right now? It reaffirms our point that as a beneficiary you are again minimizing our voices, which reinforces our position for your removal.”

Following a two-hour, closed executive session, the board deferred its meeting to Feb. 8. According to the agenda, the session was devoted to “the OHA administration’s request to discuss a confidential executive summary of incidents” involving Akana.

The “incidents” apparently are tied to Akana’s ongoing litigation against the other trustees as well as accusations that she has mistreated OHA employees. Akana denied the accusations in an interview Tuesday.

Another executive session is scheduled for 10 a.m. Thursday, when the board will again take up Crabbe’s employment contract.

The schism among the nine-member OHA panel blew up in public last month when Akana edged out Robert Lindsey as board leader and the new majority voted Jan. 8 to buy out Crabbe’s contract.

Akana tried to prevent a “circus” at last week’s board meeting but ended up angering those who said it was unfair of her to block public testimony about the controversy.

The meetings have been punctuated by quarreling, accusations of corruption, raised voices and trustees walking out in protest.

On Tuesday a handful of beneficiaries urged the trustees to cease their fighting and instead concentrate on OHA’s mission of working toward the betterment of the Hawaiian people.

DeMont Conner of Nanakuli implored the trustees to “stop this madness.”

“You guys are making a mockery of our institution,” Conner said. “People are laughing at us. They’re saying the Hawaiian people can’t get it together.”

Ka‘iulani Milham of Waianae asked the trustees to not only engage in hoo ponopono, but also to authorize a comprehensive audit to help improve OHA’s effectiveness.

Ipo Torio-Kauhane, executive director of Kanuikapono Charter School on Kauai, said she launched a pono leadership program on the same day the OHA strife blared all over the media.

“Children are watching and listening,” she said. “It is your kuleana to be good role models and examples.”

Trustee Lei Ahu Isa agreed, saying a former student sent her a text following the last meeting. The text said, “Can you tell them to stop fighting?”