Anders Kahana Thomson
Anders Kahana Thomson
Anders Kahana Thomson
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Anders Kahana Thomson
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May 8, 2008
Posted to: http://ohalies.tumblr.com
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Once again, Clyde Namu‘o the Administrator of the Office of Hawaiian Affairs has failed to provide any assurance that OHA is transparent and accountable to OHA’s mission and to the native Hawaiians OHA is mandated to serve.
In the May 2008 Ka Wai Ola article titled, “Reinforcing Accountability,” the rhetoric is similar to his April 2008 and December 2007 Ka Wai Ola articles.
The differences remain in the style and tone of his articles. The December 2007 article is blatantly dishonest, defiant, and defensive in language and tone; while the April 2008 article attempts to gloss over the egregious financial and managerial actions committed by Namo‘u, Apoliona, and Bernardino.
But the prime difference is that OHA sources have confirmed that OHA Special Assistant to the Administrator Stanton Enomoto in fact composed the May 2008 article “Reinforcing Accountability” for Namu‘o. Namu‘o absolutely lacked sincerity by not writing his own article and such actions speak louder than words.
Knowing the truth that Namu‘o did not pen the article, the entire article should be discredited. Once again, Namu‘o has lied and attempted to deceive the Hawaiian community and community at-large by signing his name to words he did not compose.
While Enomoto speaks of “detailed accounting be made of all the expenditures related to OHA’s Nation Building, Kau Inoa and Native Hawaiian Government Reorganization Act (Akaka Bill) initiative,” the information listed below will assist OHA in this process.
Enomoto strategically did well by not disputing previously released financial information obtained by Trustee Oswald Stender. Stender obtained the information via Maui, which was generated by current OHA employees who allege that the current management (Namu‘o, Apoliona, and Bernardino) has and continues to breach their fiduciary duties to the Trust. These current employees have also added expenditures to the list obtained by Stender, which are also included below. Furthermore, OHA’s Kau Inoa spending directly affiliated with Aulani Apoliona supports claims that nepotism is alive and well at OHA.
A few example expenditures related to OHA’s Nation Building, Kau Inoa and Native Hawaiian Government Reorganization Act (Akaka Bill) initiatives related directly to Aulani Apoliona:
* Total reimbursement due to Aulani Apoliona totaled $13,047.89 from 01/05/06 to 03/26/06.
* Total per diem due to Aulani Apoliona totaled $2,436.00 from 01/24/06 to 05/05/06.
* Aulani Apoliona requested vacation on 03/30/06, but requested one hotel room at the Holiday Inn Torrance in California on 03/30/06.
* Tony Roma’s Restaurant in Seattle on 03/26/06 in the amount of $1,104.12 hosted by Aulani Apoliona.
* Holiday Inn Torrance on 01/24/06 in the amount of $4,758..53.
* Dinner at the Doubletree Hotel in San Francisco on 03/24/07 in the amount of $1,812.56 hosted by Aulani Apoliona.
* Appetizers from Bon Appetite’s Catering at Whittier College on 04/15/07 in the amount of $1,475.45 planned by Aulani Apoliona.
* Reimbursement to Aulani Apoliona for one roundtrip first class ticket airfare from Honolulu to Los Angeles for Ho‘olaulea at Alondra Park from 07/15/06 to 07/16/06 in the amount of $1,102.85.
* American Airlines first class ticket for Aulani Apoliona to travel to E Hula Ma Hula Festival for Kau Inoa registration from 8/31/06 to 09/05/06 in the amount of $1,940.30.
* First class ticket on American Airlines for Aulani Apoliona to travel to Ho‘oulu Lahui Aloha Kuka on 09/30/06 in Oxnard, California from 09/29/06 to 10/02/06 in the amount of $1,606.00.
* First class ticket on United Airlines for Aulani Apoliona to attend the Kamehameha Alumni meeting 09/15/06 in Millbrae, California and the Makaha Sons Concert on 09/16/06 in San Antonio, Texas in the amount of $1,078.44.
The examples above are unjustifiable and inexcusable by OHA when the native Hawaiian people, according to Seiji Naya’s study, “Income Distribution and Poverty Alleviation for the Native Hawaiian Community” abstract states, “Since 2000, Hawaii's economy has done relatively well over time and the state's per capita personal income is higher than the U.S. level both. Hawaii's poverty rate is also lower than the mainland's. But in the midst of this prosperity, Native Hawaiians have substantially higher poverty rates.”
The first ACS data to include details on native Hawaiians, including those who are multiracial also support the fact that OHA’s spending priorities are not aligned with beneficiary needs. Unfortunately, Namu‘o, the Apoliona sisters, and Bernardino treat the Trust as their own personal bank account, utilizing the money to travel first class and host friends at expensive banquets.
It is clear that OHA is a “Broken Trust” and the current Trust and Administrative leadership needs to be removed immediately.
Namu‘o, Apoliona, and Bernardino can continue their attempt to intimidate current OHA employees with fingerprinting and camera security measures, monitoring incoming and outgoing phone calls and emails, chastising staff who wear headphones at their workstation, the recent dismissal of three employees, and the banning of personal cellular phone usage in an attempt to block the truth from being revealed to the Hawaiian community and community at-large.
Unfortunately for Namu‘o, Apoliona, and Bernardino the truth always prevails and justice is always served.