Few can be happy about the Hawaii Tourism Authority contract dispute between the Council for Native Hawaiian Advancement and the Hawaii Visitors and Convention Bureau, but at least the bureau has a consolation prize.

The back-and-forth over this was not resolved last week when the HTA board voted to solicit bids for two contracts, a third procurement process. But HVCB, the original selectee in the controversial process, got its short-term contracts extended again, now to June 30. Such a mess.