Statement of OHA Chair Colette Machado:
OHA appreciates that the role of the Auditor is to provide an independent and objective analysis of OHA to assist us in better fulfilling our mandate of improving the conditions of Native Hawaiians. We also understand that the daunting challenges our beneficiaries face – as well as our sweeping mandate – require our commitment to continuous improvement and progress.
We acknowledge that the findings and recommendations of the draft audit highlight areas that need to be addressed, and we look forward to reviewing the draft report in further detail to see how we can best move forward. In some instances, the draft audit identifies areas for which we have already begun to address. For example, on August 1, 2017, the OHA Board established an Ad Hoc Committee to review and recommend changes to policies relating to our grants and sponsorships, which includes trustee allowances. Furthermore, as part of the agency’s ongoing Fiscal Sustainability Planning, the OHA Board established an Implementation Advisory Committee that includes a number of working groups that are focusing on policy recommendations for several issues identified in the draft audit, including our Fiscal Reserve and other spending policies.
OHA is extremely disappointed with the unauthorized release of the draft audit before we could fully review the report and provide a formal agency response to the Auditor, and before the Auditor has had the opportunity to review our response and issue its final audit.
Again, OHA is committed to making the necessary improvements to better serve our beneficiaries.
Questions about the status of the audit should be directed to the Office of the Auditor.
