HONOLULU (March 14, 2023) – Today, almost 20 months since the July 2021 initiation, the State Auditor finally issued its statutory performance audit report focusing on the Office of Hawaiian Affairs’ (OHA) Land Division from calendar year 2019 to 2021 (Audit Period). OHA is extremely disappointed that the report does not acknowledge that during the Audit Period, the Board approved its Governance (2019) and Policy (2021) Frameworks, providing a basis for updating, consolidating and aligning all policies going forward. The report also does not acknowledge the work of the organization during and post the Audit Period, regarding policies, advocacy, legacy land and commercial property planning and activation. The report fixates on outdated land policies yet does not acknowledge, OHA’s sound due diligence business practices; nor does it acknowledge the activities that occurred between the end of the audit period and the report issuance date, a common audit practice. Finally, the State Auditor’s recommendations relating to policy and planning are being addressed as a part of already in-progress organizational work. Additional recommendations for the Board related to operational, procedural and process oriented items will also be addressed in the normal course of operations by Administration. OHA continues its commitment to be organizationally and fiscally sound and prudently stewarding trust resources, so that we better the conditions of Native Hawaiians.
