The University of Hawaii has asked the attorney general’s office to assist in an investigation of allegations that a top UH official wasted potentially millions of dollars in state money through the mismanagement of construction projects, including steering contracts to friends.
Dennis Mitsunaga, a prominent Honolulu engineer whose company does business with UH, made the allegations in written testimony he submitted last week to a Senate committee considering a UH procurement bill.
The university said it first learned of the allegations through his testimony at Thursday’s hearing.
That evening, state Sen. Donovan Dela Cruz, chairman of the Senate Committee on Economic Development, Government Operations and Housing, wrote to the university requesting an immediate investigation, and the school notified him the next day that it would be conducting one.
UH President M.R.C. Greenwood and the Board of Regents are scheduled to discuss the allegations and the investigation during the regents’ regularly scheduled meeting Thursday at UH-Hilo.
Because Mitsunaga made the accusations public, rather than sending UH a private letter, the university must follow a public and transparent process, and it will take time to do a credible investigation, Greenwood said in an interview.
"We do owe the public an open and thorough examination," she said, later adding, "It’s not something we can do overnight."
The bulk of Mitsunaga’s allegations focused on Brian Minaai, UH’s associate vice president for capital improvements, and a Hilo dormitory project that Mitsunaga’s company designed. The complex is under construction.
"In the process of giving us a difficult time, Brian gave away millions of dollars on this project alone and should be investigated for BLATANT MISMANAGEMENT," Mitsunaga wrote.
Among other things, he said, Minaai ordered the replacement of consultants on the project after the selection process already was completed, adding to the cost.
Mitsunaga, who did not appear at last week’s hearing to answer questions, has not responded to Star-Advertiser requests for comment. Neither has Minaai.
Senate Bill 1383, the bill that triggered Mitsunaga’s testimony, was passed Thursday by the Senate’s Higher Education Committee but shelved by Dela Cruz’s panel, effectively killing the legislation. The bill would have shifted procurement oversight for UH construction contracts from UH to the State Procurement Office.
Unless amended, it would not have applied to professional service contracts, such as engineering and architectural work, which are the focus of some of Mitsunaga’s allegations.
Dela Cruz (D, Wahiawa-Whitmore-Mililani Mauka) said he considered the measure an attempt to micromanage the university, whereas the Legislature’s role is to debate broader public policy.
Greenwood said late Tuesday afternoon that UH had not heard from the attorney general’s office about its request. She said the university has not discussed whether the attorney general would take the lead in the investigation.
A spokeswoman for Attorney General David Louie said her office does not comment on planned or ongoing investigations.
Letter from Sen. Dela Cruz and UH response by craiggima
Dennis Mitsunaga’s testimony to the Senate Committee on Higher Education on Thursday, Feb. 14, 2013 in supp… by
