KAILUA-KONA, Hawai’i — OHA trustees are meeting on the Big Island today, but the agenda does not include further action on the selection of a new trustee to represent Kaua’i and Ni’ihau. While Office of Hawaiian Affairs Board of Trustees
KAILUA-KONA, Hawai’i — OHA trustees are meeting on the Big Island today, but
the agenda does not include further action on the selection of a new trustee to
represent Kaua’i and Ni’ihau.
While Office of Hawaiian Affairs Board of
Trustees Chair Rowena Akana has made it clear she would like the board— not
Gov. Ben Cayetano— to choose a successor to the Rev. Moses K. Keale, who
resigned in October, the clock is running on a Thursday, Dec. 30,
deadline.
The leading candidate from the 17 who applied for Keale’s seat is
Wailua’s Randy Wichman. Wichman came in one vote short of the six-vote
requirement at the trustees’ last meeting held Dec. 1 on Kaua’i. Warren Perry
received two votes.
Though no meeting has been set, Akana has indicated
that another meeting will be called before the Dec. 30 deadline in an attempt
to name Keale’s replacement.
But Wichman isn’t optimistic.
“Nothing’s
in the works that I am aware of,” said Wichman. “So I think the process will
just have to take its course now,” indicating that Cayetano will make the
decision.
“I’m disappointed and I’m sad that (the process will) end up with
the governor,” Wichman said.
State law requires that agendas for public
meetings be posted at least six days prior to meetings.
So in order to
even consider a replacement to fill Keale’s seat an agenda for such a meeting
would have to be posted no later than Friday, Dec. 24.
If a majority of six
trustees can’t decide on a successor for Keale by Thursday, Dec. 30, Gov. Ben
Cayetano will have 60 days to choose a Native Hawaiian of Kaua’i or Ni’ihau to
fill the remainder of Keale’s term.
In cases where Cayetano has been called
on to select someone to fill the remainder of an OHA term, he has taken the
entire 60 days to do so. If that is the case with Keale’s former seat, Kaua’i
and Ni’ihau Native Hawaiians
will go without OHA representation for four
months.
If the OHA board can’t decide on a successor for Keale, Cayetano
can choose from any Native Hawaiian residing on Kaua’i or Ni’ihau who is at
least 18 years of age and a registered voter in both OHA and other
elections.
Akana earlier told The Garden Island that Wichman is her choice,
in part because he is beholden to no faction, political or otherwise, and that
his presence would be a welcome breath of fresh air on the board.
