Editorial: Candidates bring new ideas to Office of Hawaiian Affairs

Three out of four at-large seats and and three of five seats representing island districts on the Office of Hawaiian Affairs Board of Trustees (BOT) will be filled this year, with a four-year term at stake. OHA elections for all seats are statewide, and any registered voter can cast a ballot.

Hot-button issues are affordable housing, economic development and access to education — along with managing the OHA budget, which increases in the coming year from $15.1 million to $21.5 million, allocated from the state’s revenue derived from Hawaii’s public lands. This year, OHA also received a one-time lump sum of $64 million, making the $21.5 million annual budget retroactive to 2012.

Maui district candidate Carmen Hulu Lindsey, the incumbent and current BOT chair, is running unopposed; she will not appear on the primary ballot.

The two candidates vying for the Hawaii island seat, Mililani Trask and Hope Alohalani Cemerlj, will not appear on the primary ballot either; this race will appear on the general election ballot.

The Oahu trustee race has four candidates in the primary. The top two candidates will appear on the general election ballot — unless one candidate receives 1 vote more than 50%, in which case that candidate will be elected.

A whopping 11 candidates are on the primary ballot for three at-large positions. The top six candidates will go to the general election, unless one candidate receives 1 vote more than 50%. If that happens, the candidate will be elected and the next four top vote-getters will advance.

OAHU

Kalei Akaka, elected to the BOT in 2018, is the best choice for this seat. Akaka, the granddaughter of Hawaii’s late Sen. Daniel Akaka, has expressed support for the Thirty Meter Telescope on Mauna Kea (as did Sen. Akaka), citing astronomy as an extension of Hawaiians’ voyaging culture and interest in science, and a source of educational opportunity for Hawaiian children. She is supported by returning chair Lindsey, who donated to Akaka’s campaign. Under Lindsey’s leadership and with Akaka’s support, OHA has undertaken a reorganization and adjusted priorities to focus on fiscal responsibility and targeted spending to benefit Native Hawaiians; this process of change is still ongoing and deserves time to take shape.

Brendon Kalei‘aina Lee, at-large representative running for the Oahu seat this year, Jackie Kahookele Burke and Robert Peters also are on the ballot.

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Zuri Aki, a first-time candidate for the OHA board, has the experience, policy knowledge and advocacy skills to be an asset to OHA. With a law degree and bachelor’s degree in Hawaiian Studies from the University of Hawaii at Manoa, he is a fiscal-policy wonk and independent thinker, with a focus on growing OHA’s revenue to benefit Hawaiians. Aki’s most recent job is as Public Policy Manager for the Council For Native Hawaiian Advancement. He has also worked within OHA, serving as aide to OHA trustee Lee and as an OHA public policy advocate.

His top priority is “to maneuver OHA in the direction of generating more income independent of the ‘ceded lands’ revenue,” so that OHA can create economic opportunities by supporting “large-scale economic development.” On housing, Aki suggests OHA leverage its land assets and use public-private partnerships to develop “innovative housing models” such as “master-planned micro-communities.”

Sam King, an attorney, has built a high public profile as an outspoken advocate in support of the Thirty Meter Telescope project atop Mauna Kea. His drive, emphasis on good government, experience with project management and unshrinking support for TMT are all valuable assets.

King’s big idea is nudging OHA toward a focus on early childhood education and parenting education for families with kids 0-4, a good idea that can now be leveraged with the state’s efforts in this area. He’s endorsed by OHA incumbent Kelii Akina, a high-profile crusader for fiscal responsibility, and says, “OHA must continue to volunteer itself for extensive independent audits of its finances and operations to demonstrate that it remains a pono steward of public land trust revenues.”

Keoni Souza, a real estate agent and musician, was unsuccessful as an at-large candidate in 2020, running a close race against Kelii Akina. This election provides another opportunity to seat him. Funding to improve Hawaiians’ access to housing is a top concern. A graduate of Kamehameha Schools, Souza has worked as a flight attendant and stevedore, though he’s best known as a member of the Grammy-nominated, Na Hoku Hanohano-winning trio Na Hoa; he is endorsed by the State of Hawaii Organization of Police Officers, the International Longshore and Warehouse Union and the Ironworkers Union. Souza says OHA can benefit from change, creative ideas and “new blood” to step away from business as usual, promising to provide “ethical and unconventional leadership.”

Additional candidates in the at-large race are incumbents Lei Ahu Isa and John Waihee IV, former football player Chad Owens, former state senator and radio personality Brickwood Galuteria, Julian Ako, U‘i Kahue-Cabanting, Kealii Makekau and William Paik.