Mr. James K. Kaihana is living in his garage and he is in a Hospice condition at 85-1186 Kaneaki Street. Waianae Comprehensive intake came to visit yesterday, and said they can make an appointment for him to see a Doctor on August 17th the earliest appointment. On May 10th, he was evicted from his house. He lived in his house for 35 years and his house cost him $25,000. He has paid his mortgage twice over and Micah Kane forced Mr. Kaihana to sign a predatory refinance loan which would have been passed down to the successors. This is the crux of the problem, now Micah Kane works for Bishop Estates and are now preying on seniors living on Bishop Estates lease lands such as the Vegas family as well as their neighbors too.
The Kaihana family is very scared because there is no trespassing signs posted on their house and garage. All Hawaiians have to live in deplorable criminal conditions--just because!
Friday, January 19, 1996
ANAHOLA MAN DIES IN DHHL EVICTION
The battle between 59-year-old Gilbert Smith and the state Department of Hawaiian Home Lands ended yesterday with a deadly fire on Kaua`i. Smith had been withholding mortgage payments on his Anahola home, protesting what he called shoddy construction. While deputy sheriffs and DHHL officials surrounded the house, state agents entered to deliver the eviction notice. Smith had apparently poured gasoline on the floor, and while the agents watched, he lit a match and set fire to his home. The officers escaped without injury, but Smith remained inside, where he died. Today, DHHL spokesman Francis Apolina expressed sorrow and shock over the tragedy. The man's nephew, Kamealoha Smith -- who yesterday blamed the department for his uncle's death -- met today with DHHL heads on O`ahu. "The biggest question that I have on my mind," said Kamealoha Smith, "is what went wrong." While an investigation into the incident continues, 30 Hawaiian groups plan to meet tomorrow in Kalihi to plan memorial services for Gilbert Smith, and discuss various complaints against the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands.
Tuesday, January 23, 1996
GROUPS CALL FOR DHHL RESIGNATIONS
Native Hawaiian leaders gathered today on the grounds of Iolani Palace to remember the life of Hilbert Kahale Smith, who died last Thursday after setting fire to his Anahola Homstead house during his eviction. They were critical of the state Department of Hawaiian Homelands, some calling the agency responsible for Smith's death. "The department chose to follow an iron-fist policy of dispossessing Mr. Smith rather than fulfilling their legal obligations to him as a beneficiary," said Ka Lahui Hawai`i leader Haunani-Kay Trask. Smith was being evicted after a 17-year fight with the state; he stopped paying his mortgage in protest of shoddy construction work on his home. Trask called for the resignation of DHHL head Kali Wilson and the department's commissioners. Wilson said he hoped the department could learn from what happened on Kaua`i. "Hopefully something positive will come out of this," he said. However Smith said he had no plans of stepping down, saying that recent legal settlements and land appropriations demonstrated the need for stability. "My intent is to continue what we've been doing in furthering the program," he said. Smith will be remembered with a memorial service and candlelight vigil at 6:30PM this Saturday at Iolani Palace.
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