Name on ballot:

Desmon A. (Des) Haumea

Running for:

Hawaii county council – District 5

Political party:

No answer submitted

Campaign website:

www.desmonhaumea.com

Current occupation:

Halau MauliʻOla Medical, Self Employed

Age:

70

Previous job history:

Maui Police Department, PSO I, 1977-78
SOH Judiciary, Law Clerk/Bailiff I, 2nd Circuit 1978-90
Vance International Inc. & ESI Inc. 1978-2002
Entertainer, Marriot Hotel, Kaanapali 1980-1998
Kaihonua Productions, President, Executive Chef, 1984-Present
University of Hawaii-Hilo Astro-Vaganza Coordinator 1999-2001
State of Hawaii DOE, Paddling Coach Keaau High 2001-2003
Executive Chef of Haumea Foods Inc 2000-Present
Executive Chef, Indigenous Healer & Historian of HLA 2000-Present
Kumu Aʻo at Kukui Hale Restorative Health Center, 2000-Present
Hawaii State Film Bureau/Magic Island Productions, Location Manager 1995-Present Middle College Project 2005-2010 University of Hawaii-Hilo Community College, Voyaging & Canoe Culture 2008-2011 University of Hawaii-Hilo Community College Ka ‘Umeke Ka’eo Hawaiian Immersion PCS,
Education Specialist & Papa Waʻa Hoʻomau 2008-2014
Edith Kanakaole Foundation, Education Specialist, 2013-2015
RCUH-JABSOM, Research Assistant, 2012-2019
Waldorf Malamalama School, Education Specialist, Hawaiian Studies Education Specialist & Papa Waʻa Hoʻomau 2016-21
RCUH-JABSOM, Research Facilitator, 2016-19
Halau Mauliʻola Health, 2016-Present
KS–Hawaii Campus Water Polo Asst. Coach 2017-2022

Previous elected office, if any:

n/a

Please describe your qualifications to represent the voters of your county.

Passion and empathy, truth & honesty, a educational specialist, building relationships through an indigenous view, providing healing & wellness for our children and their families, Aloha Aina and a Community Leader and Educator

What is the most pressing need for the people you seek to represent, and what will you do to address that need?

Housing, COLA & Jobs

Do you support or oppose the construction of the Thirty Meter Telescope and why?

The narrative is incorrect. The question is do I support science versus business. I support science and also the preservation of all sacred sites.

Rising inflation has significantly worsened Hawaii’s already high cost of living. What can be done at the county level to help residents cope with high consumer prices?

Tax incentives, reduction on sales tax, and especially reduction in fuel tax.

What specific solutions do you propose to combat homelessness and to make housing more affordable to residents?

Utilizing natural resources, increase vacancy taxations on foreign investors, who do not reside in Hawaii

As the COVID-19 pandemic continues, what more should the county government do to protect residents’ health?

Truth & Honesty, Increase cultural medical & self care education

What should county government do to help residents who have been economically affected by the pandemic?

1% off the 4% State Tax on all Food & Fuel Tax

What reforms, if any, would you propose to make local government more transparent to the public?

De-centralized Government Control

Do you think more needs to be done at the county level to manage tourism? If so, what would you propose?  

Cap on tourism, allow our resources to recover, mandate UH & HTA to increase culture based educational tourism requirements, increase foreign investments taxation, de-centralized government control

What would you propose to help diversify the island’s economy beyond tourism?

Agricultural Village, Tax-Incentives, 1% of State 4% sales tax for rebuilding our peoples lives.

What can county government do to mitigate the affects of sea-level rise?

Education, UH lower requirements for entry to Environmental & Marine Science, Hawaii Island as a Laboratory for Sustainability

Is there anything more that you would like voters to know about you?

Born in Hilo and raised in Keaukaha and Puna. I am a member of the Royal Order of Kamehameha, and the Polynesian Voyaging Society, I have journeyed across oceans on the famous deep sea voyaging canoe, Hōkūleʻa. As part of the ʻOhana Waʻa, having educated many of Hawaiʻi’s keiki on the teaching canoe Makaliʻi, Hiapo-o-Ke-Alii-Kai and Kaihekauila. As Kumu Aʻo I have devoted decades to perpetuating Hawaiian cultural practices and sharing those with succeeding generations. When Iʻm not on the ocean, I serve nā iwi kūpuna as a member of the Hawaiʻi Island Burial Council, BOD Sustainable Energy Hawaii, BOD Hale Mua Cultural Group and nā ʻōpio as an Educational Specialist with my Waʻa Curriculum at Ka Umeke Kaʻeo, Mt. View Elementary School, and Waldorf Mālamalama, also a Kumu Aʻo at Hālau Mauliola Medical as a Indigenous Traditional Healer, Executive Chef, Spiritual Guidance Therapy and Cognitive Behavioral Therapist AND I have travelled the world sharing my music as a member.of: Kalapana Mauna Kea Church Praise & Worship, BAMBU & He Mea Hou, aside from that I am married to Dr. Stacy Haumea and we have raised two keiki Kukui & Temoananuiahiva, both attending UH-Hilo.