In 1978, the state Office of Hawaiian Affairs (OHA), was conceived to assist our native population. But over the decades, OHA has given us squabbling, corruption, malfeasance and incompetence — not to mention, the waste of millions of taxpayers’ dollars. In short, the agency has fallen far short of its considerable promise.

For many non-Hawaiians, like myself, it’s been an amusing sideshow. But the welfare and progress of Hawaiians is everyone’s concern.

Now comes OHA trustee Keli‘i Akina, who dares to make this mess-of-a-public-agency more open to the scrutiny it so rightly deserves. The board says: “Trustees should speak with one voice!” What they really mean is: “Don’t air our dirty laundry!”

To OHA, Akina is a traitor. For his courage in standing up and demanding a better OHA, for me, and for all of us in this state, he’s a true hero.

C. Richard Fassler

Manoa

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