William J. Aila’s nomination as chairman of the state Department of Hawaiian Home Lands won a narrow 3-2 recommendation Thursday from the Senate Hawaiian Affairs Committee.
The vote came after the committee heard eight hours of testimony last week both for and against the nomination Opens in a new tab. Hawaiian Affairs Chairwoman Maile Shimabukuro (D, Kalaeloa-Waianae-Makaha) said she expects the full Senate to take up the matter in the next two weeks.
Committee members Les Ihara (D, Moiliili-Kaimuki-Palolo) and Jarrett Keohokalole (D, Kailua-Kaneohe) voted with Shimabukuro in supporting Aila. Members Kurt Fevella (R, Ewa Beach-Iroquois Point) and Kai Kahele (D, Hilo) voted against the nomination.
Shimabukuro said much of the testimony against the nomination was the result of “the tension between DHHL’s obligations to its beneficiaries and the rights of Hawaiians who have been wronged in so many ways by our state of Hawaii and DHHL’s obligation as well to uphold our state laws, to uphold their mission.”
The ongoing conflict over the construction of the Thirty Meter Telescope atop Mauna Kea, which many Hawaiians view as sacred, has only magnified that frustration, Shimabukuro said. Aila and DHHL, which owns Mauna Kea Access Road leading up to the telescopes, which protesters have blocked, have been stuck in the middle, she said.
Both Aila and Tyler I. Gomes, Gov. David Ige’s nominee for deputy DHHL director, are doing what they can with the limited resources they have, she said. “They don’t have enough land or money to help every single person on the wait list, unfortunately, at this time.” Ultimately, “I feel that these two have good hearts, good intentions and the skills needed to get the job done under these circumstances.”
Gomes won a 4-1 approval with Fevella casting the only “no” vote.
Kahele, who peppered Aila with a series of community issues, pointed out that there was overwhelming opposition given by representatives from every homestead association in his district.
One key fundamental issue Kahele has with Aila and the Ige administration involves the issue of DHHL’s commercial leases. Kahele said he prefers more consideration and priority be given to Native Hawaiians who want to lease property that might not be suitable for residential uses. The administration has, as past administrations, allowed commercial leases be given to nonbeneficiaries in some cases where it believes more revenue can be derived that could be used to build more DHHL housing.
“There are a lot of issues at DHHL that I just feel have not been resolved,” Kahele said.
Kahele said he has no problems with Aila personally. “I look forward to working with him if he’s confirmed by the full Senate,” he said, noting that he would be surprised if Aila did not win confirmation.
