Insights on PBS Hawaiʻi is sponsored by Carlsmith Ball.

Aloha State Daily and the University of Hawaiʻi Cancer Center.

From six candidates to three.

That's the choice voters will face in the at large race for the Office of Hawaiian Affairs.

All three incumbents advance through the primary.

They're being challenged by newcomers as well as a familiar face and politics here, what they believe are the biggest issues facing Native Hawaiians, what their vision is for OHA and how they can achieve it.

Tonight's live broadcast and live stream of insights on PBS Hawaiʻi.

Start now.

Aloha and welcome to insights on PBS Hawaiʻi.

I'm Yunji de Nies.

The Office of Hawaiian Affairs was established through the 1978 Hawaiʻi State Constitutional Convention as a public trust dedicated to improving the conditions and well-being of Native Hawaiians across the state.

This November 3rd at large seats on the OHA board are up for election.

Each trustee serves a four year term.

Registered voters statewide can vote on all OHA races.

We look forward to your participation in tonight's show.

You can email or call in your questions, and you'll find a live stream of this program at PBS Hawaiʻi and on our YouTube page.

Now to our guests.

Kealiʻi Akina lives in Puna on Hawaiʻi Island.

He's been an educator for more than 30 years and teaches Hawaiian history at Kamehameha Schools in Keaʻau.

He holds a master's degree in technology and Learning.

Brickwood Galuteria was elected to OHA trustee at large seat in 2022.

He formerly served as a state senator from 2008 to 2018.

Apart from his public service work, he's worked as a musician, actor, and radio host.

Kanekoa Crabbe grew up in Mililani and received his bachelor's degree at Hilo and his masters from Hawaiʻi Pacific University.

He's worked as an educator at Moloka'i High and Intermediate School, Kahuku Community College, and Mānoa.

Ikaika Anderson was born and raised on Oʻahu, where he graduated from Mānoa.

From 2009 to 2021, he served as the Honolulu City Council Council member for district three.

In 2019, he was elected chair of the council.

Keoni Sousa was elected to his OHA trustee at large seat in 2022.

A graduate of Kamehameha Schools, he's a musician and the founder of the award winning group.

The other at large candidate, John Waiheʻe the fourth.

Did not respond to our invitation to appear tonight.

Thank you all for being here.

Five of you and a lot to get to.

So let's get going.

I want to start with sort of the overarching issue that you think OHA should be tackling right now.

What you would be doing differently.

You're the challenger.

So let's start with you.

Aloha, Anderson.

Yunji.

Good evening.

Thank you so much for having us.

I'm running for the Office of Hawaiian Affairs because I truly believe that OHA needs to refocus its core mission on OHA's beneficiaries.

And I would like to see the Office of Hawaiian Affairs be able to utilize its vast land portfolio and utilizing my background as a land use policy person on the Honolulu City Council.

My experience as a zoning committee chair and later as council chair, to be able to maximize OHA’s real estate portfolio and really turn that into perpetual income, which we'd be able to put directly right back into the hands of our beneficiaries in terms of solid services like expanding opportunities for housing, expanding opportunities for entrepreneurship, and also expanding opportunities for college education, both the undergraduate and graduate level.

And I'm not saying all isn't currently doing some of these things, but if we maximize all his existing land use portfolio and I believe my expertise can help to do that, more cash directly in the hands of OHA to put back into the beneficiaries benefit for their quality of living.

Let's go around the table.

Mr.

Galatea, let's go to you now.

What do you think is the single biggest issue facing OHA and what would you do to solve it?

Well, firstly, I'd like the words of the previous speaker to be entered into the record as if they were my own.

You remember that?

Yes I do.

Quality of life.

If there's anything that we want to strive for is quality of life for all Hawaiians and all the people of Hawai'i.

But because OHA is the fourth branch and dedicated to the betterment of Native Hawaiians, we have to concentrate on that now.

He was mentioning the the money part of it.

We are at the Native Hawaiian Trust Fund is up to about maybe 700 million or maybe even more, and we're headed towards $1 billion in a several years so we can do a lot of good work for.

And we already are.

We have a very active board and a very, very qualified administration.

So we just want to continue that.

That's why I decided to run again.

Okay.

Mr.

Sousa, what are your thoughts?

And you know, as the director, sorry, as chair of the Investment Land Management committee, you know, it's about achieving tangible results.

And over the last just under two years, the Investment in Land Management Committee, along with OHA's investment land director, Ryan Lee, and its current administration, interim director CEO Summer Silva, we've been able to achieve the highest gain in our portfolio.

And so December 2024 to present, $102 million.

And that's not made up numbers.

That's real, tangible results.

We just got the report yesterday, in fact, that our all built meeting you can reference.

But you know, we we continue to strive to again what Rickard has said earlier.

You know our beneficiaries we ensure they thrive.

Right.

And there's multiple different things and it's multifaceted.

At the end of the day, and we have to make sure people thrive.

And there's grants, opportunities, education, health care.

And at the end of the day, we need to make sure we divide our attention and make sure we're thriving to each area.

Sometimes we need to adapt and shift our attention.

Most recently, Kona Lows, right dating back to the Maui wildfires in Lāhainā.

And I want to applaud our team.

They've been doing a great job in assisting disaster relief, and to me, that's the most important thing now.

But in the meantime, we're still continuing to work on different programs and getting those rolled out in the next couple of months.

Mahalo.

Thank you, Mr.

Crab.

What are your thoughts?

I mean, we heard about some successes from the two to the two gentlemen who hold these seats.

Now, what do you think is the biggest issue facing Ojai and what would you do differently?

I feel the biggest issue at OHA right now is reconnecting OHA with the beneficiaries they're supposed to serve, specifically native Hawaiians.

Hawaiians need housing in Hawaiʻi.

They need opportunities.

They need resources so that they can thrive here at our home.

For decades now, OHA has been serving the native Hawaiian community, and I feel they can serve the Native Hawaiian community at a greater capacity.

A lot of their land holdings currently right now are not working towards the benefit of Native Hawaiians, specifically Makai and Eveleigh.

These properties have been owned by OHA for 12 years to Eveleigh, most recently five years.

This is a massive chunk of the assets that they currently hold right now, and these properties are not being used for Native Hawaiians beneficiaries as we speak as of currently this very day.

And I'm hoping that OHA can reconnect with the people of Hawai'i, specifically Native Hawaiians, again, to provide housing opportunities and resources so they can thrive here in Hawaiʻi.

Mr.

Okina, ditto to what they all said.

There's a lot of good stuff here.

I think for me, like one of the biggest pieces that I'm looking into is the radical transparency.

So so that we can see all the great things that's happening.

As a teacher, that's one of the things that I look at is like, what's the data, what's the bias, what's the facts, what's what's really going on.

And there's a lot of good things that OHA is doing currently, but there's a lot of pieces that our people don't know.

It's similar to where I work.

I work at schools, and there's a lot of good things happening there, but people don't know, so that transparency is not there.

So bringing it transparency and then bringing our people together to unify, even if we're not on the same belief system.

But can we be at the same table to make these changes for our people, the housing, the medical care, all these pieces?

And I tell my students not about not going away from Hawaiʻi, but do they have the opportunity to come home?

Right.

And OHA is going to place where they can provide those opportunities, those resources to make sure that our people have a home and the Hawaiʻi to come back to.

As I moved away from all who to the Big Island 20 plus years ago, when I come back to where my family is from, it's not the same, right?

But I want that place to be here for the next 3 to 500 generations.

So when I people come home, there's a home to come to.

You brought a clock.

And as I was doing my research on all of you, I think that this is the one area where there is the most daylight between you.

So I'd love to explore that a little bit more deeply.

And we can go around the table the other way just for efficiency.

What do you think should be done with that land?

Do you think housing is appropriate?

Do you think towers are appropriate?

Appropriate?

Do you think that commercial real estate development should be happening at home?

I think that there are lots of opportunities there, but I really like I like how they're having open talk stories and different master plans, but really it's like what's going to be the best return on investment for our people.

And so I personally don't know the answer, but I think that our Hui coming together like OHA is currently doing, having open forums and bringing people together, that's the first step to really finding the way forward.

But also understanding that that are rooted in or rerouted.

Again, if there's no ʻāina, there's no Kānaka, there's no there's no beneficiaries.

So how do we best utilize it in a way that honors the ways of our kūpuna?

By using history.

And what what you know, the areas were the linear descendants of that place and what was it used for?

But also, how do we bridge the gap?

Because everything else fully functioning country needs, we need.

So whether it be tourism and control, ecotourism, I love Hilton.

It'd be great if we owned it right?

And we controlled it so has so many opportunities and options for us.

But it's really, you know, what other people need.

And what's the return on investment and looking at long term, you know, the same way I did for generations to come.

So what do you think is the best use for Makai?

I fully believe OHA should get out.

I was there in 2012 when the land transfer happened between the current trail chair back then, as well as the governor, Hawaiʻi.

Mr.. Governor Abercrombie and I told the chair of OHA not to accept this land because it's a tsunami Indonesian zone that's prone to flooding.

And it's a dump.

It's a landfill.

If you don't know, I'm a point panic body surfer.

I love mochi.

I've been in for about three decades now.

My father three decades before me.

I know the history of mochi.

Nothing in built will last in perpetuity.

It is only temporary.

One day, Makai, according to doctor Chip Fletcher of UAH Mānoa, will be underwater before the end of this century.

Will OHA benefit and the beneficiaries of Hawai'i of the land?

I don't believe so.

And I feel that the state should come forward and make a restitution with OHA, either a land transfer or a cash settlement, because right now, for 14 years, OHA has done nothing with Mr.

Sousa.

Mahalo.

You know, I think we're going to sit here today and hear from our fellow candidates what should be doing.

I'm going to tell you what OHA is doing.

And, you know, and four years ago I would have said the same thing.

And now diving deep into our portfolio, understanding that yes, I agree or has done nothing since 2012 when I took over Leadership Development and Land Management Committee, we ensured that we're going to get the highest and best use for these properties.

It's the most prime real estate on the whole east side of Oʻahu.

You know, the thoroughfare all the way to Waikiki, right?

Main thing again, going back to our beneficiaries, make sure they thrive.

I want to announce, you know, last week we we a partnership with the city and county of Honolulu are at MOU looking at the site to finally do a cultural center.

That has been one of my biggest priorities, a lot of back end conversations.

We finally brought it to the board and we put out a joint statement, Office of One Affairs and City Council, also exploring the option of including ocean safety within that, you know, arena.

And, you know, there's another opportunity.

I also want to speak about that.

The board approved and we're getting ready to execute a MOA to do diligence on what I that's the most ever parcel across the collection, right next to peer to Hawaiʻi stevedores.

And that is to do housing for Native Hawaiians.

And, you know, frankly, I'm I'm tired of the opposition, you know, coming to, you know, these different hearings and, and saying, hey, you shouldn't build here.

OHA is willing to put the resources whether we got to go down 20ft, 40ft, we're willing to put in the resources to make sure Hawaiians can live in Kaka Aqua.

There's been a lot of opposition from across the street and the surface of Point Panic.

It's a different regime here at OHA and we want to make sure, again, highest and best use for our people.

Mahalo.

And we thank you.

Mr.. We just heard two very different opinions on what should happen to that resource.

What do you think?

Yeah, well, I was in the Senate when we did that.

The transfer and it was done to to pay down a debt service, $200 million.

And now aspiration is good.

We need to be aspirational.

We also need to be realistic.

There's when you're dealing with the government, I mean we're going to come in, we're going to be all gung ho.

But when you walk into that capital, it's a whole different story.

And I mean, he was there.

He's there in the city council.

So in this particular case we're dealing with because we want best use, best use is like to go up 40 stories.

Okay.

Right now there's a zoning restriction that keeps us at 200.

Now how do we get over that.

We got to deal with HD away Community Development Association.

And so when you walk into this type of environment, you got to have your eyes wide open.

So that's what we four master plans later.

We still haven't done anything.

And why is that.

Because we have these restrictions that we got to get over if we want best and brightest.

Let's say that you are able to get the legislature to change its mind and give you the allowances on those height restrictions and allow for commercial use or towers.

Do you think that that is the best use of that land?

I think so, at least a mixed use where it's residential and commercial.

Okay, Mr.

Anderson, I know that you're a development guy.

You led with that right off the top.

My guess is that you would like to see towers there.

Well, I'd like to begin by saying there is a stark difference between being a candidate for public office and governing.

I've done both.

But with Mackay, you see land that has been sitting there, as some have said for more than a decade, you have tree trimming businesses, you have cars parked nor near highest and best use.

And then right across the street you have the Texas based corporation that's being allowed to build high rises.

But yet the Kānaka is being told, no, you cannot.

I've spoken to some beneficiaries who just say that screams unfairness, that we, the whole culture, are treated unfairly, and I agree.

I'm not saying that luxury housing is the best use there, but I am saying that in all fairness, the Kānaka has to be given the same rights that the mainland corporate, the US Mainland Corporation, has across the street.

What I'm not hearing tonight, though, is more definitive mixed use allowances.

I think working with the city and County of Honolulu is wonderful.

I think working with other governmental agencies is wonderful, but in order to reach highest and best use mixed use development, a solid mixed use component that will come with land use.

Understanding, being able to bring local developers together, preserve those local jobs here.

And then it's that mixed use development coupled with the the mixed use development on the bottom, a mixture of retail business opportunities, entrepreneurship for our beneficiaries, coupled with housing, that's what's going to be best.

And a thorough understanding of land use and land use policy is necessary to make this a reality.

Let's get to some of these viewer questions and thank you.

For those of you who are participating tonight.

There are two questions here, one from Monique and one from Bob, from both asking why is there so much infighting at OHA?

There are no political parties.

Monique says.

It seems that infighting, or at least the reputation of it on the board, limits O'Jays effectiveness.

How would these candidates change that?

We want to acknowledge, of course, that there is an ongoing lawsuit, and we're not asking you to comment specifically on that, but what about this reputation of infighting?

Brickwood we'll start with you.

Well, I don't want to be glib, but all families fight, and that's the way it is.

And I certainly have been on a lot of boards in this particular case.

You know, the board is a there's a lot of moving parts here and we will not agree on everything.

So, you know, that's that's what you're going to be walking into.

You guys, if you guys are able to make it to the three.

Mr.

Sousa, do you think.

Do you agree with Monique's assertion here that the infighting limits O'Jays effectiveness?

Yeah, I don't believe there's infighting.

There's differences.

Right.

And that's healthy on any board.

Trustee stated earlier it's been a part of the main board, so have I. And disagreement is healthy.

And at the end of the day, we take the vote.

We move on.

You know, sometimes we experience trustees who act as individuals, and that's where we start to get out of line.

And, you know, I always made this comment to where, you know, I believe most of the decisions we make as a board should be unanimous because it's the right thing to do for our people.

As soon as your personal agenda start getting in the way, your own ideas and you know you don't agree with with the direction we're moving, especially with leadership, you're going to start to stray.

And that's what causes, I guess, what it looks like to the public in fighting.

There's no infighting at OHA.

This has been the most cohesive, scenario, I guess, between the board of trustees.

I would like to say an administration.

And that's very, very key.

Okay.

What are your thoughts on this and what do you think you'd bring to the board to perhaps bring about a little more the unity that it sounds like the the viewer, I think I think there's a lot of infighting going on.

All right.

Now.

There's a lot of disagreements.

There's a lot of, many lawsuits going on right now, as well as a lot of dysfunction.

I think a lot of these problems cause in OHA is due to a lack of a lot of things, a lot a lot of humility, a lack of respect, a lack of education, and a lack of community service experience where you can actually have that experience where you're actually helping the people of Hawaiʻi and is included.

You gain that experience, you know how to work with people.

And I feel that all right now, I mean, the board is severely divided.

I've been watching meetings and they even sit as such.

The lawsuit going on right now with the former CEO, it's unfortunate, you know, the Hawaiian people are suffering because there's so much infighting going on with OHA, and it's been going on for years now, and that's why I want to run.

That's why I'm running for all, to try to be a new voice in OHA, to bring that humility, to bring that respect, bring that education and that experience to the board.

Mr.

Aquino, what are your thoughts?

I think that was one of the reasons why I actually felt like not that I want to run to take over or do something different, but it's really like, how do we bring unity back to our people?

I know that when we're together, we can move mountains, we can do crazy things.

We can build a house with no rocks, I mean with rocks and no trucks.

And so unified we can do that.

And I think as an educator, that's been my job for 30 years.

You come into a classroom with 20 different personalities, with 20 different God heads, and you have to figure out how to make them all work together and to to be as one.

And part of that is having a singular mission.

And I think OHA has a strong mission.

I think some of our people, as well as are people that constituents that I serve, don't know what the mission of Ojai is anymore.

So I think for me, that's one of my, my, my strong points is research, bringing historical research back in talking about 1970, talking about the beginning of OHA and what it was made for and how it was grassroots from the people, for the people.

And I think, you know, I can be that catalyst to kind of bring our people back together.

And then also, I look forward to working with some of these great leaders in Hawai'i, people that I look up to for a lot for many, many years, you know, to be a part of that and to be able to be on that team because I'm a big teams guy, working with students, everything's about teams, you know.

And how do we make that back for our people again, to bring it back to the focus again?

Like everybody keeps saying, it's about the beneficiaries.

Like, how do we do that?

How do we take the pictures off of ourselves, right.

And our humility and then turn it around and do it the best for our people, the same way that you did for commemorative schools?

That Queen does for the for the orphans.

Lunalilo did for the elderly.

So how do we use OHA as a catalyst to bring those people back on the same table again?

Mr.

Anderson, do you agree with the viewers assertion that there is infighting and that it is limiting O'Jays effectiveness?

I believe there are solid disagreements on the existing OHA board of trustees, but I will say, as an experienced elected official who's worked with a nine member elected board, disagreements cannot help.

It will happen.

And I think disagreement can be healthy.

I would look at one of my mentors, the late City Council chair Barbara marshall, who was fortunate enough to call my friend and mentor as I worked on her staff.

But when she was council chair, she was elected chair of the Honolulu City Council as the voice of reason.

When there was a lot of disagreement on the council.

And.

I think it's very important, regardless of whether you support the policy decisions of the chair of the OHA board or whether you don't support the policy decisions of the chair and the majority of the board, it's important that all trustees are treated respectfully and that all trustees feel that their manaʻo are being incorporated and heard, and that their individual abilities to serve their constituents are not being trampled upon or ignored because of political differences.

So what I would bring to the board is that sense of inclusiveness, voice of reason, that Barbara marshall talk to me in bringing people together and that when we disagree, let's leave the personalities out of it.

Keep the disagreements policy oriented and professional and every single decision, every single vote that came to my desk as an OHA trustee, if I'm so fortunate to get elected, the first question I'd ask myself is, how does this decision benefit impact the people of Hawaiʻi and the beneficiaries of the all trust that needs to be asked, with everything that comes across our desks and then make a responsible decision, let's move to another very big issue, and that is the military land land use question.

We know that chair is pushing for a larger role, perhaps arguing that OHA should have some kind of veto power, or at least a signatory on whatever the governor decides pushing for that.

We know right now it's an advisory capacity.

Mr.

Sousa will start with you.

What should OHA's role be in those negotiations, and what should the state of Hawaiʻi be asking for?

Yeah, sure.

Molly.

Angie, again, I'm glad you asked the question.

So I'm fortunate to sit on a permitted interaction group.

I'm literally Lance and as well as preclude collateral.

And, you know, we realize when we started this group, the board approved a certain budget.

A big part of it is the education component.

So we were able to travel to D.C., educate our federal delegation on why all should be at the table.

And we have an advisory group also attached to this and made up of of really intelligent, experienced members and any issue TMT military release lands.

Our people are divided and we need to ensure all voices are heard.

And so this group is making sure that all voices are heard.

Community outreach, which we just had had one on Oʻahu, we have one coming up on Maui next week.

We're trying to make sure we make our roles on all the different islands.

We are not negotiating yet, you know, and and we want to make clear that when the negotiations happen, our people have a seat at the table and we insert ourselves.

And yes, if it's going to happen, we we end up renewing leases or not.

We make sure people thrive.

We got our percentage, whatever it may be at the end of the day.

And that's super key.

Okay.

Mr.

Crabb, what are your thoughts on what should OHA's role be in these negotiations?

I think OHA should have a very important role in these negotiations.

Right now.

I feel that OHA is not a credible organization to negotiate with the state or the DoD in regards to these military leases coming up in 2020, 2029.

As recent studies with the Institute of Policy Services, they've done a report that says the federal government owes the state or the people of Hawai'i, $113 billion.

This report just came out and is backed by a lot of educated scholars who've done a lot of extensive research.

OHA has to put the needs of the native Hawaiian people first, specifically in regards to their land and the waters, that every ʻāina is not ʻāina without water.

I think people need to understand that I cannot feed people without water.

Wai is essential to ʻāina, to ʻāina to exist.

There's a lot of land on the US on in Hawaiʻi that is being exploited and polluted and damaged by the U.S.

military.

I want to ensure that this doesn't happen in the next ten, 20, 30, 50 years from now.

So this time period right now is really important for OHA to build their credibility so that they have a seat at the table with the state as well as the federal government.

What specifically?

I mean, that's a pretty bold statement to say that OHA is not a credible organization to be engaged in this negotiation.

What specifically makes it not credible?

Okay, there's a giant disconnect between OHA and the beneficiaries.

We're talking about Native Hawaiians throughout the state of Hawaiʻi and worldwide.

They have the kuleana to mālama their beneficiaries.

And for the past few decades, in regards to lands that have squandered for 14 years evil, nothing has been developed at evil in five years since they acquired it.

This is approximately a quarter billion dollars worth of money that OHA has been squandering and not using these properties to the full benefit of the people.

Do I think the state of Hawaiʻi and the DoD is going to take over as a credible institution when they start negotiating regarding these military leases?

I don't think so.

Yeah.

Let's get to you.

What do you think role should be in these negotiations?

I think OHA needs to have a bigger role in it.

As a military brat myself, I grew up all around the world.

My father, 22 year vet, I can see the power of the military, but I also see the damage.

As a person who's been to love with students many, many times, the damage is still there.

So even though the military has promises to clean up and do these different things, sometimes it don't.

It doesn't.

It is not falling through.

So I think that OHA as the ear piece and the mouthpiece of the people, you know, is really important.

You know, when we talk about, housing and homes, I look at I look at a wall with 118 military bases.

How many of that is is homes?

Those homes are 100% paid off.

If we thought out of the box, I mean, we ended some of the leases we took back the homes.

You could solve the whole housing project.

It was a snap of our fingers, but 300 plus thousand military personnel in their homes and their families here, all those houses are there.

We can solve some of these issues by working together.

But again, we need we need organizations at the table.

We also need credibility.

We also need the trust of the people.

We need the era of what's going on, the climate that's happening in the world today.

I mean, the wars that are happening.

Is that really what we're looking forward to our people there?

There's an economic peace with the military being here, but yet there's the other side as well, you know.

So I, I think at minimum, I like what he said about getting it, whatever the payment is, getting it for the beneficiaries.

But thinking outside of the box like, wow, how can we use this lease and disagreements and these military agreements to help our people move forward with the infrastructure that the military has put in?

I mean, we have amazing infrastructure on Oʻahu because of the military.

Now, how do we use that for the benefit of our people?

Okay.

Mr.

Anderson, what should OHA's role be in these negotiations?

Just briefly following up on what Mr.

Aquino said with housing very quickly, if elected a trustee, I would love to have that conversation with Senator Schatz And Senator Hirono.

Hawaiʻi is different.

We're not like the states on the continent.

We have a finite amount of land.

Why doesn't the US military require their personnel in Hawaiʻi to live on base?

That policy could be put into effect last week.

So that's something we should definitely talk about with the military leases.

We need to ensure that Hawaiian culture and our are respected.

And I'm not going to make a prejudgment and say, well, every lease that's up for reconsideration should either be renewed or should be canceled.

I'm not saying that at all, but what I am saying is that the Office of Hawaiian Affairs needs to have a seat at the decision making table, not brought in after the fact, after the state of Hawaiʻi and the federal government have already made a decision, and also sitting there as mere window dressing, that's not okay.

Having do you feel like that's happening right now?

I don't feel that all has the active role that it deserves and that the people of Hawaiʻi not just are beneficiaries, but that the people of Hawai'i deserve to have all be there.

I have if, through my experience, I've negotiated and put forth negotiations on land use and land use policy and development agreements, and can tell you these conversations are only meaningful when you're there at the beginning to the end, not when you're brought in at the end.

So the Office of Hawaiian Affairs definitely needs to have an active seat at the decision making table.

But there is much room also to recognize that Hawai'i has a solid role in protecting the national security interests of of the country, of the United States.

And we also must remember, too, that all of the people of Hawai'i are beneficiaries, as well as our non beneficiaries live in this place that we call Hawaiʻi, and we need to do everything possible to protect national security interests while respecting our host culture and our Kanako.

And I believe there's room to do both, but OHA has to be at that decision makers table.

Okay, you know you're in these negotiations now, or at least the starting starts of them.

Do you feel like OHA has enough power and enough of a role, enough say, in what's happening right now and what is going to happen?

Yeah, you can always demand, you know, whether you're going to get it or not remains to be seen.

Now we just had a first discussion.

And Governor Green says he's been good about this.

He just sent some representatives to the working group.

So we're starting dialog now.

What I feel and I don't necessarily agree with that, we're disconnected to the.

There's no way I'm going to go there.

However, we're disconnected with a couple of things.

As an example, the fairness of the leases a dollar a year for 30 years is something that shouldn't even be on the table.

However, that's what's going on right now.

So what do we want to do is we want to create fairness in the negotiation process.

And that's where, you know, OHA is going to be a constant voice in that direction.

Okay.

Certainly we haven't come up.

We're still in negotiations.

So we haven't come up with numbers.

But you also have things like a robust community benefits packages that we can negotiate, you know, instead of just money.

What about improving the schools.

What about parks.

What about recreation for the community?

That's all a part of a negotiation process.

So I mean, that's what I leave for you.

Okay.

Thank you.

There's a question here from Paula, who says OHA was created by the people of Hawaiʻi as an agency to push for the betterment of Native Hawaiians.

Do the panelists feel it is achieving that goal?

Why or why not?

And I would actually drill down on Paula's question a little bit to say what specifically could be done, because we've talked in sort of generalities about improving the lives of Native Hawaiians.

But what specifically do you think that OHA could be doing?

Or, you know, the first premise is, is that goal being achieved, the creation and the betterment or and what specifically needs to be done?

And we'll start with you.

I don't feel OHA is doing enough to help our beneficiaries.

I think since 1978, when OHA created to this very day, they slowly became more and more disconnected with their beneficiaries.

For example, we are talking about preparing for military leases coming up.

Yet OHA is trying to pursue purchasing KIKU and KITV4 To me, it seems like another real estate transaction.

They already have two huge properties already in L.A.

but they're doing nothing with it, so they're basically just land grabbing, land hoarding right now.

The bigger picture is trying to reconnect Hawaiians with OHA.

I feel that OHA is a very Oʻahu centric organization of specifically Honolulu centric organization.

A lot of Native Hawaiians live in rural communities islandwide and elsewhere, not in Hawaiʻi.

OHA has that to take care of all the native Hawaiians and improve the betterment of them.

In regards to housing, education, resources, so many different things, a lot of money that they currently have, including land, is not being used for Native Hawaiians.

It's being used to basically grow the organization fiscally.

I want that money and those resources in OHA to be used directly to benefit Native Hawaiians, not only now, but in the next ten, 20 to 30 years to come.

Mr.

Aquino, I would like to expand on that.

You know, this sort of tension between growing, growing the money, right, so that you have resources for the future and direct spend now.

And going to Paula's question, do you think that Ohio achieving its goal of the betterment of of Native Hawaiians, and how specifically are they doing that?

Why or why not?

Personally, I think they're on the path.

I don't necessarily see the growth that could be there.

But for me, I think about, again, I'm a historian thinking about.

It says my country, the country of literacy and education was a huge piece.

We went from 0% literacy to almost universal literacy in one generation.

So I still feel that that if OHA can push more on the educational pieces, it'll serve the people.

And, you know, and that's where we put our time and money in, because I love it how we're talking about different solutions and the military.

But I also think about this America has amazing schools.

United States of America has amazing schools.

Well, one great way to pay us back is give our college our kids free college tuition.

You know, find other options that we can put on the table for these military leases.

Great.

Pay your dollar or your your a dollar a year for 30 years.

But for the next 10 or 30 generations, our kids go to school for free.

You know, like put it on the table, like why not?

The worst they can say is no, you know.

So I think for me, if all OHA could push more on the education piece to allow our hui to rise in general.

And again, I don't think it's just, My grandmother is pure Chinese.

She's 90 something plus years old.

She lives in Kailua.

She loves Hawaiʻi.

This is not a race based thing.

You know what's good for Kānaka is going to be good for Hawaiʻi.

And I think education all around.

We raise election in our country.

It's going to be beneficial for everyone.

I think I can play a great part in that.

Thank you.

Mr.

Anderson, what would you say to Paula?

Is OHA achieving its goal of of what it was set out to do?

Why or why not?

In the 50 years, nearly 50 years since all has been created through the 1978 state constitutional convention.

More households speak the native Hawaiian language.

Our culture has certainly faced a revitalization where it's more understood, it's more practiced.

There have been some additional educational as well as entrepreneurship opportunities for our people.

And I do believe that OHA has played a solid role in that.

Over the course of that nearly 50 years, and all of the uncles and aunts who have served as trustees can also do more.

Absolutely.

We would like to see an Office of Hawaiian Affairs that offers more tangible benefits to our people, where a beneficiary has an issue.

They are looking for undergraduate opportunities or graduate opportunities in college, or an entrepreneurial opportunity with leased land from OHA, possibly through mixed use development.

The first thing that pops in that beneficiaries head is, hey, let me give the Office of Hawaiian Affairs a call and see what OHA can do for me as a benefit, as a beneficiary.

But in order for that to happen, beneficiaries need to know and understand more as to exactly what the Office of Hawaiian Affairs does.

And we would like to ensure that OHA has the ability to increase its reach through mixed use development, through bringing an additional dollars and then capitalizing on those opportunities and making it known to people exactly what the Office of Hawaiian Affairs does, and those opportunities that come forth.

And just really quickly to end that, when the Native Hawaiian prospers, all of Hawaiʻi prospers because we all live in this state together.

And I think we really need to remember that.

Furthermore, the University of Hawai'i sits on seeded land.

Why aren't more tuition opportunities for Hawaiian students being offered?

That's certainly something that not only needs to be considered, but needs to be reality.

Mr.

Kalutara, what do you say to Paula?

There is, and this is a wonderful opportunity for us to promote what OHA does.

Yeah.

Okay.

We have what is called the Native Hawaiian Registry.

As you join it, you become eligible for many, many programs.

And it's not hard to register.

You just got to sign up.

But you become eligible.

Now, for home ownership, you become eligible for scholarships.

You become eligible for different types of medical plans.

This is something that I want to encourage your viewers to go to.

Go to.org and sign up for the Native Hawaiian registry, because at the end of the day, we also want to know how many Native Hawaiians vote as an example, because everybody can vote for OHA, obviously.

But we want to know how many Native Hawaiians or Hawaiians vote to.

And then we can take our case to the Capitol and say, this is the electorate that's going to elect you.

We're going to take you out.

But okay.

That's my answer to your question.

I appreciate that.

Mr.

Sousa, you talked about talking about what OHA is doing right now.

So in its current iteration, do you think that OHA is meeting the mandate?

Absolutely.

And I sat here so far and listening to candidates speak on the negative aspect of war, but that's the easy way, right, to pounce on negativity.

And OHA has dealt with that for a long, long time.

Let's go back to 1978.

I believe in the brand or as a brand.

Trustees will come and go see us will come and go.

Our stellar employees who believe in the mission 30 plus year employees will come and go.

OHA, the brand has a job to do, and I don't think that job lightly.

And so, you know we reference KIKU, KITV.

You know that was on my agenda.

And as an investment in land management chair, it's my job to bring as much information to the board of trustees to do our due diligence, to do our homework.

I never want any trustees saying that I didn't know or it's personal.

That's why I didn't vote for this, you know?

So it's my job to follow through on that.

That quizzing potential acquisition when still in the due diligence phase.

In fact, it got approved today at a meeting to execute the next phase of due diligence.

It's unfortunate that some of our people do not understand that diversifying our portfolio, especially in referencing since 2012, or has done nothing or has done nothing until we assume leadership.

I heard references of EV lay weave maximize the potential and even the most OHA has ever seen.

Those resources are going to our beneficiaries.

There's a spend policy, right?

So the total amount of our portfolio is 5%, right.

That goes to our operating operating, you know, with within our, our staff and as well as spending, you know, grants and other opportunities as well.

And so we need to ensure that we follow through and identify different opportunities and diversify our portfolio again.

Mahalo.

Thank you so much.

I do.

You know, since you brought that up, I just want to very briefly because I don't want to run out of time, but I apologize.

I have a little bit of a frog on my throat, but is it appropriate for OHA to be in the television business?

I am curious because this is something that has made headlines and a lot of people are curious about it, just very briefly.

I mean, we did hear what you just said.

What are your thoughts should be in the TV business.

I think it would be good in regards to the public relations.

Yeah, I think OHA has a lot lost credibility with the people of Hawaiʻi and Native Hawaiians statewide, and people who love Hawaiʻi.

I've seen this credibility go down for decades.

It's unfortunate for public communication.

I do think it will be beneficial.

OHA has no experience in communication media.

And this is a real concern for me because it appears that it is a real estate transaction because they have other properties that they're not doing anything with right now, as you know.

Yes.

It got approved that due diligence was paid a think $170,000 contract to do the due diligence, find out if acquiring KIKU and KITV for would be good or bad for OHA.

We don't know what's going to come with that.

Do I feel that $170,000 was wasted by OHA?

Yes I do.

I think they could have did that in house and not cut a contract for $170,000.

Okay, let's do a quick round of the table.

What are your thoughts?

Should be in the TV business.

I think that, I think as as Kānaka, the more that we can control every aspect that a fully functioning country needs, we need to have control over.

Is this the right timing?

I'm not sure, but I looked at other countries, like at Aotearoa in New Zealand, and how they started to control their media, and they're able to put out messages and and stories and history about their people.

I love watching Merrie Monarch every year.

And it's it's like a Hawaiian version of what it could be.

So I think that that's a very awesome possibility.

But as far as timing, I'm not sure if we're in the right place for the Office of Hawaiian Affairs to influence.

I won't say control, but to influence messaging that's going out to the community.

I'm I'm comfortable with that.

But being that the Office of Hawaiian Affairs is a governmental agency, I have great concern about any governmental agency or any other attempting to control messaging going out into the community.

And the other question I have is, does all I have the expertise to manage a station or to hire the appropriate consultant to manage the station?

And if the station were flourishing right now with the other stations, would it be up for sale?

At this point, I, I, I respect what OHA is doing, and I respect the decisions that the board has made up to this point on the acquisition.

But with what I know today, I would not be able to support the acquisition right now.

Mr.. I think of all of us, you probably have the most television experience.

I'm curious to hear your thoughts.

If you think that this is a good move for the for the organization.

Well, firstly, it this is nothing new for indigenous entities.

You know, Kealiʻi mentioned the Morris throughout the continental United States.

You have Native Americans who own these type of entities, right.

Controlling the narrative is important to.

And it's all about timing.

That's why we're doing the due diligence we have to do that in order to make the decision on whether we're even going to acquire.

But when we do acquire, we do not run television stations.

We leave it up to the professionals to do that.

So we won't be moving any of that stuff in house.

They already have sufficient management skills already.

We're purchasing that to if we do purchase.

Okay.

I want to get to these questions here.

We have about ten minutes left.

And I do want to make sure that we get to a few more questions.

Mr.

Souza, we'll start with you.

I'm sorry, Mr.

Akina, please name one specific initiative you would champion if elected.

I think for me, the connection or bringing the trust together with OHA and kind of connecting them back together, where we have Queen's Hospital doing medical, we have commitments in education.

We have, you know, our kūpuna.

We have those.

When they were created in the kingdom, they were created to work together to the benefit of our people.

So if we can use something like an organization like OHA to bring them back together and to redo that and build that foundation for our people once again, I think that would be amazing.

Okay.

Mr.

Anderson, one specific initiative that you would champion if elected.

I can't really I cannot responsibly point to just one initiative.

This is really about quality of living issues for our people.

And quality of living issues mean the issues that affect our people's everyday quality of living.

Access to education at the graduate level and undergraduate level, access to quality health care and access to housing.

These are the issues that I would say as a policy.

I would classify this as one issue, as a quality of living issue.

Okay.

Mr.. I share this committee called the Malu project.

We're a very successful in bringing the overage from the years that did not come, because we're capped at 21.5 mil from the legislature, but the revenues derived from the seated lands amongst too much more.

So we were able, with the help of representative Representative Kirsten Kahaloa, Representative Tanya's and Senator Richards were able to bring 55 million of the overage over to OHA, specifically to address federal cuts to Native Hawaiian programs.

And that's that's why, in part, why I'm continuing, hopefully continuing to make sure that that happens.

Okay.

One specific initiative you would champion if elected.

Yes.

And, you know, again, as a chair of investment management committee are already who's trying to get our people into homes.

Right.

And so we've established a whole program, home ownership program in collaboration with the American Savings Bank.

To date, 38 households, native Hawaiian households able to achieve homeownership.

Super important because that is the most even though the number may not sound high, but this is the most one of the biggest initiatives of our money strategic plan, education, healthcare, housing.

And so I want to be able to follow through on that.

We have another down payment assistance program.

We're going to be rolling out very, very soon.

And, you know, in my individual capacity, I focus on getting families and the broader community, not only Native Hawaiian beneficiaries, into homes.

There's a three part right don't pay income right.

And credit score.

And we can say we need housing all day long.

But providing solutions to get them there, the more mortgage education identifying those partners as super key.

So I will continue to follow on follow through on those initiatives.

Okay.

Mr.

Crabb, what do you say to be tonight?

Housing for Hawaiians is number one.

Most important for should be the most important thing for all right now and for a very long time.

As you know, many people, native Hawaiians don't live in Hawaiʻi anymore.

Since the 2020 pandemic, 2019 pandemic, more outside people live outside of Hawaiʻi than in Hawaiʻi.

Native Hawaiians, specifically the native Hawaiians that are in Hawaiʻi right now, are suffering.

Majority of them are living paycheck to paycheck, worried about utilities, cost of living, all kinds of things.

All has to do with housing, you know, how would I try to be a new voice in OHA in regards to housing for Hawaiians?

I want to look at working with DHHS.

I want to look at the existing land holdings that OHA already has, trying to address these land holdings to see if they're really beneficial for Hawaiian housing, for Hawaiians, and lastly, possibly building low cost, high quality housing.

Hawaiians are very experienced in construction, like myself.

I'm third generation electrician, my whole family, electricians.

I hope my dad build his house in Hoʻolehua, Molokai from the ground up.

It took us a long time, but we did everything as resourceful, as resourceful as possible.

And I know it's possible for all Hawaiians to not only have housing in Hawaiʻi, but also to thrive here in their ancestral homelands.

Okay, we're going to do something.

Ambition.

We ambitious.

We have less than five minutes, and I want to give each of you an opportunity for a final word.

So please try to be as succinct as possible, but I'm interested.

What do you want to know about you?

Beyond your resume?

We can read the candidate questionnaires.

We can go to your website.

But what is something specifically about you that motivates you to want this position?

We'll start with you.

I think for me is lacking mentality.

I've been a teacher for 30 years.

Teachers don't work of regular 9 to 5 job.

I used to work seven days a week, come home at 7:00 every night.

I work super hard.

Once the mission is.

The mission is clear.

It's pointing in the direction we'll go.

And I use the unity of our people and my students to act on their parents and the community to actually make that happen.

Okay, Mr.

Crab, I want to be a new voice in all specifically that.

Why?

Because I feel that the OHA of the past has been very dysfunctional.

I think they need a huge organizational change to occur.

I've been a farmer, fisherman, hunter gatherer, worked in construction, tourism, education.

I have a vast array of experience all here in Hawaiʻi.

I've lived here since the day I was born, and I'm more than happy to share the resources and experiences I have to the Hawaiian people through the Office of Affairs.

Thank you, Mr.

Sousa.

I really want people to know my way.

Why I initially ran in 2020, spent my own resources to be here because I believe in the brand.

I believe in our people.

When Hawaiian story for why thrives and my why is my wife Mahina, my daughter Bentley, my son Royce, my daughter Presley.

That is my why I want to ensure the younger generation thrives.

So mahalo.

And we thank you.

Mr.. Final message what you want to know beyond the resume.

We know you you know, years in television and radio.

We know you well.

But what's something that really motivates you for this that you want people to understand?

Well, if you want my attention, you'll know that I have three passions.

One is Kānaka, two kūpuna, and then three is.

I refer to it as different abilities, but special needs is basically my three.

And the special needs part is because one of my sons is down syndrome, but he's 51 years old, so he's beating the odds, right?

And he's actually we live with him, right?

That's how it works.

But those are the three things you want to know.

Something about me.

kūpuna, Kānaka.

Special needs.

Thank you so much, Mr.

Anderson.

Final word tonight as a father, as a grandfather in Hawai'i resident, want to ensure that all of our families, regardless of ethnic, regardless of point of origin, have a place not just to exist, but to thrive here in Hawaiʻi.

And I'd like to see all her return, its core mission to our beneficiaries, ensuring opportunities for them in housing, in education, in health care, and really how we can do this is looking at all this very vast land portfolio, maximizing the benefits of those lands, solid mixed use developments, mixed use projects that will increase the assets value, but also at the same time bring in perpetual income, perpetual cash flow to put back into OHA for these quality of living issues and help our beneficiaries thrive.

And for those Hawai'i residents who are not OHA beneficiaries, maybe asking this evening, why is the Office of Hawaiian Affairs at Large trustee race something that I should even consider?

And I would ask the non beneficiary to take a serious look at the Office of Hawaiian Affairs and the ability to assist our host culture, but also at the same time to understand that when the Native Hawaiian prospers, all of Hawai'i prospers.

Whether you are a Delacruz or a smith or a Concepcion, or all of us live here, all of us want to be able to thrive here, and we all have a very vested interest in Ohio.

Okay.

Thank you so much.

We'll leave it there.

Mahalo to you for joining us tonight.

Of course we do.

Thank our guests, the candidates for the Office of Hawaiian Affairs at large seats, Adrian Kealiʻi Akina, Kanekoa Crabbe and Keoni Souza and Brickwood Galuteria and Ikaika Anderson.

Next week on Insights, we continue our general election coverage with State Senate District 18.

A special election is being held for this district after Michelle Kidani retired earlier this year.

Please do join us then.

I'm Yunji de Nies for insights on PBS Hawaiʻi.

Until next time.

Aloha.

Insights on PBS Hawaiʻi is by Carlsmith Ball.

Aloha State Daily and the University of Hawai'i Cancer Center.