No gifts of cash or alcohol to city employees, period. That was the clear message of the Dec. 22 “Kokua Line” column (“Opala crews, others can’t accept money, beer”). Thank you, Star-Advertiser, and thanks also to Department of Environmental Services spokesperson Markus Owens and Honolulu Ethics Commission Executive Director Jan Yamane for fleshing it out to help the public understand.
The prohibition applies year-round, not just during the holidays, and to all city officials and employees, not just opala crews; also, gift cards are like cash, so likewise a no-no. It’s part of a larger set of ethics laws that seek to ensure that public services are free of corruption or even the appearance of corruption.
With a new year beginning, the Honolulu Ethics Commission resolves to double down on our efforts to prevent corruption, and, when justified, address violations. One ongoing effort is to update regulations on gifts to clarify the guardrails and eliminate gray areas. Local traditions of aloha have sometimes unfortunately justified gift-giving that, even when innocently intended, feeds a perception of reward for special favors or in anticipation of favorable action.
With the recent ethics scandals at local, state and federal levels, public skepticism is understandable. That’s why the Ethics Commission’s work is critically important. Mandatory training ensures that all city officials, appointees, and employees understand the requirements of the law.
The vast majority of city workers are dedicated to providing honest services. It hurts when violations cast a shadow on them, giving ammunition to those who unfairly tar all public employees and officials as corrupt or self-dealing.
Commission staff have updated training materials and greatly expanded personal outreach to city departments to let everyone know that we are there to answer their questions and help them avoid putting themselves in jeopardy of violations. You might have seen our staff at pop-up tables in Honolulu Hale, the Fasi Municipal Building or Kapolei Hale — explaining our work, handing out information and answering inquiries.
We much prefer prevention through education and advice to enforcement after a violation is reported, but our investigators and attorneys also work diligently to substantiate or refute reported conflicts of interest, misuse of city resources, and other reported violations. They respond daily to queries from anyone on the City & County payroll, or unpaid board and commission members, who seek advance guidance when facing an uncertain ethical situation. The commission publishes advisory opinions to share guidance of broader interest.
Our jurisdiction is limited to enforcement of the City & County ethics laws. Other issues involving, for example, employment discrimination, theft, poor service, etc., are the kuleana of other agencies, and the commission regularly refers complaints elsewhere when appropriate.
We invite our neighbors across the City & County of Honolulu to visit our website (https://www.honolulu.gov/ ethics/default.html) for a full view of who we are and what we do. I especially recommend, under the Publications tab, the “Plain Language Guide to City Ethics Laws,” a brief but thorough summary aimed at city officers and employees but useful to anyone who wants to understand the rules.
We also invite public attendance, in person or online, at our bimonthly Ethics Commission meetings.
As we prepare to welcome the Year of the Dragon, the Ethics Commission seeks to embody, and to promote throughout the city government, such dragon qualities as wisdom and honor.
With the support of the mayor and the City Council, the commission has strengthened its capabilities. We will continue to help the City & County do all it can to merit the public’s trust.
David Monk is chair of the Honolulu Ethics Commission; the views expressed here are his own, not an official commission statement.
