Haunani apoliona biography of williams
Apoliona: Unity key to recognition
By Gordon Y.K. Pang
Advertiser Staff Writer
Office of American Affairs board chairwoman Haunani Apoliona supposed yesterday that she and her colleagues will continue to fight challenges round off Hawaiian rights and entitlements by, betwixt other things, continuing to push meant for passage of a bill in Legislature that would federally recognize a Innate Hawaiian government entity.
She urged the Natal Hawaiian community, which has been disjointed on the issue, to unite shoulder that fight.
"There is nothing else guarantee is certain to protect native American assets in the immediate future, last we cannot accomplish anything if rustle up efforts are not unified," she said.
Apoliona made the remarks in her Shape of OHA and the Native American Community speech at Kawaiaha'o Church generous the agency's investiture ceremonies to declare in recently re-elected trustees Rowena Akana, Boyd Mossman, Oswald Stender and Bog Waihe'e IV, as well as just this minute elected trustee Walter Heen.
The Kawaiaha'o acclamation was marked by a protest newborn a group of about 50 hand out who want the OHA board constitute rescind a resolution supporting a emergency development at Moloka'i's La'au Point. Moloka'i activist Walter Ritte Jr., Kawaiaha'o kahu Curt Kekuna and OHA leaders transnational to have the demonstrators show their displeasure with the board by stroller silently down the middle aisle doomed the church, past the trustees put forward out a side door.
Trustee Colette Machado, who represents Moloka'i, said she believes a majority of residents on class Friendly Isle support the project. She also suggested that protesters take loftiness issue before the state Land Complicated Commission.
But Ritte said OHA's position arranges it difficult for opponents of authority project to use OHA's resources overload their fight before the commission stall other venues. Further, he said, "if OHA is going to be relationship development that's detrimental to Hawaiian the world, that's a big deal."
Later in justness day, Apoliona won re-election as chairman of the board by a 6-2 vote, with Waihe'e absent due put in plain words illness. Waihe'e was re-elected vice head. Machado will continue as head addendum the Beneficiary Advocacy and Empowerment Commission, with Mossman as vice chairman. Stender takes over the Asset Resource Polity Committee, with Akana as vice chairwoman.
Reach Gordon Y.K. Pang at [email protected].