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Transcript of Meeting of April 29, 2000Page 28 of 64
<br />MARTIN: You going to allow me to move the agenda?
<br />RAY: Sure.
<br />MARTIN: Okay. What I’d like to do is bring something new, and I think that Mr. Tyler, you hit the nail
<br />on the head when you talked about the Hawaiian Homes Act and the prelims that that includes. We’ve
<br />mulled this over and had some testimony from different peoples in different venues, and what I’m
<br />proposing here now is that we, as a Charter Commission, put forth an amendment that would, in fact, put
<br />an ad hoc committee together to address this problem and have it ready for the next election, so that
<br />would be the 2002 election, so that we’d have enough time to deal with it rationally and put what lands
<br />and what properties we’re talking about that should be excluded, or precluded, from this Charter, if any.
<br />It’s not a slam dunk situation that we have time. As was mentioned with our mulling over the Managing
<br />Director, we really don’t have enough time to do it. From when we were seated to this present time, as
<br />you know, we have to put forth what we’re going to do to the State and have it in valid form by a certain
<br />date, and we didn’t have the time to do that. So what I’m proposing here now is to address this on the
<br />ballot, in some form – Chris can write it up – If the general populace wants to address it then it can be,
<br />and once it is voted in on this set of proposals in the Commission, then the ad hoc committee would be
<br />put together. They’d have eighteen months, I’m calculating as it was told to us, then it would give them
<br />four months to put it in ballot form and then again be put to the voters in the 2002 election. Who sits on
<br />this ad hoc committee? I think, of course, a no brainer would be some of the Hawaiians from the
<br />Hawaiian communities, and possibly some sort of petition, or possibly application from the general
<br />public, whoever would be interested. There’s ways of doing it but I think it’s a legit issue and I think it’s
<br />something that, if it cannot be addressed at the State level, at least let us address it here because if, in
<br />fact, what has transpired with the Federal Court hearing with Cayetano vs. Rice, or whichever way it
<br />worked, there’s some legitimate goings on that we should be addressing, and let’s not be afraid of it. As
<br />was mentioned in the very beginning, we wanted to tackle some of the more important things, and I
<br />think this is one of them. It gives us some validity, coming out of whatever else we do come out with as
<br />far as putting to the voters.
<br />RAY: Okay, because Mr. Martin has to leave -
<br />MARTIN: And again, I apologize for that.
<br />RAY: And because Mr. Martin won’t be here for our next meeting, right, May 10th?
<br />MARTIN: Correct. I am gone for two weeks so again, I’d like to vote on it right here and now, if at all
<br />possible.
<br />RAY: Are there any questions from the Commission members in terms of what it is he’s suggesting?
<br />BESS: Well, I have a question. George, with all due respect, I agree with what you’re proposing. I mean
<br />I think it’s a legitimate proposal but I don’t feel that I can vote on that today. I would like to give this
<br />some careful thought as to coming up with a proposal that has a little bit more structure to it than what
<br />you suggested. So, I would be opposed to voting on it today, but I would like for the Commission to take
<br />it up at our next meeting. That would give us some time. And George, I appreciate your wanting to be
<br />there and providing your input, but it’s just a little too early for me.
<br />RAY: John.
<br />SANTANGELO: Maybe directed at our Counsel. I’m not real clear. In spirit I don’t know how I could
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