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I consider that a compliment coming from yourself.
as for the group - we started out having meetings, discussing what a Hawaiian economy could look like. We also investigated economic systems like cooperatives. There is one in Spain that is very successful - I believe it is called Mondragon. At one of our early meetings, we all listed things we would like to see in a new national economy. Some of the items were very interesting. I still have my handwritten list somewhere around here.
Now, its mostly online discussions and sometimes drifts off point but we have many very educated, interesting members from all races and walks of life.
"Democracy is the only system that persists in asking the powers that be whether they are the powers that ought to be."
– Sydney J. Harris
I would love to see a fellowship, culling from a cross-section of leaders in their 30s-40s and give it a sovereignty focus. Give it some teeth; spend a year and interface with leaders of Hawai'i's industries and community leaders. Lend the fellows those opportunities to grapple with resource trends, socio factors, economic factors, international law and potential outcomes of every choice that faces us.
An example for one session: the topic of banking. Do a pro/con shoot-out of bank reporting, what it means to have FDIC protection and what alternatives Hawaii would need to come up with to ensure it, the critical mass needed to sustain our local economy, primary and secondary factors and outputs and determine the cycle of a dollar spent here through tourism, military presence and other revenues.
Do 10-12 of these each year, offering a new cohort annually, and the possibilities are endless, because we aren't just talking leadership training, but a concerted macro-economic grasp in our next leaders of what Hawai'i's options are and need to be.
I'm sorry but one thing just jumped out at me. FDIC is part of the US system of banking. If, with Nationhood, we opened our own Hawaiian Banks - why would we need FDIC insurance? Any banks would be insured locally, with the Hawaiian Government, not the US.
Speaking of banks - there is a new credit union now being formed. It's sponsored by Hawaii Maoli, along with the civic clubs support. They are just taking pledges for now but plans are in the works.
There is also talk of another locally owned, for Hawaiians, bank being formed.
"Democracy is the only system that persists in asking the powers that be whether they are the powers that ought to be."
– Sydney J. Harris
I just realized that my sentence re: FDIC wasn't clear enough. The "alternatives to ensure" point was how to protect funds that are in HI's banks, because w/o FDIC in an independent state, we would still be wise to develop another safeguard similar to FDIC, or the reality is that people and businesses would be wistful to invest here. This is among those many macro-details that need to be wrestled with in order to move along the sovereignity issue.
I have heard about that new CU. I am on the fence with that one. I know that there is the Japanese Chamber of Commerce and the Portuguese CoC and I am sure that there are others which I don't know about, but my concerns are about inclusivity.
I consider that a compliment coming from yourself.
as for the group - we started out having meetings, discussing what a Hawaiian economy could look like. We also investigated economic systems like cooperatives. There is one in Spain that is very successful - I believe it is called Mondragon. At one of our early meetings, we all listed things we would like to see in a new national economy. Some of the items were very interesting. I still have my handwritten list somewhere around here.
YES! I have a friend who when last heard from was running an organization called the Trusteeship Institute in Western MA. He actually went to Mondragon and did his PhD dissertation on it! We worked together at another organization (the Institute for Community Economics) in Boston which raised money from large organizations like churches and pension funds to provide seed money for local cooperatives (we were working with the founder of one of the first socially responsible investment funds in the country---Calvert). Funny how all the stuff I did way back when is now coming full circle. If you can reach him, Terry would be an excellent resource for you!
Miulang
Last edited by Miulang; August 26, 2006, 05:39 PM.
"Americans believe in three freedoms. Freedom of speech; freedom of religion; and the freedom to deny the other two to folks they don`t like.” --Mark Twain
I just realized that my sentence re: FDIC wasn't clear enough. The "alternatives to ensure" point was how to protect funds that are in HI's banks, because w/o FDIC in an independent state, we would still be wise to develop another safeguard similar to FDIC, or the reality is that people and businesses would be wistful to invest here. This is among those many macro-details that need to be wrestled with in order to move along the sovereignity issue.
I have heard about that new CU. I am on the fence with that one. I know that there is the Japanese Chamber of Commerce and the Portuguese CoC and I am sure that there are others which I don't know about, but my concerns are about inclusivity.
The Prince Kuhio Federal Credit Union is open to anyone who will pledge to open an account. But I believe its purpose is to provide a venue for kanaka maoli to have access to home loans & other types of financial business that they don't get from "conventional" US type banks. It is inclusive of everyone. So are most of the Civic Clubs - the one I belong to is open to anyone, of any ethnicity.
You are correct - there are so many "macro details" but isn't it wonderful that it has progressed to the point that we actually have to start thinking about them? It's going past the point of just talking and there is starting to be some positive movement towards a nation.
Last edited by anapuni808; August 26, 2006, 05:44 PM.
"Democracy is the only system that persists in asking the powers that be whether they are the powers that ought to be."
– Sydney J. Harris
Your fellowship training idea is a very good one. Have you ever considered applying to OHA for a grant to set up the training? They are very willing to give out grants - anything less than $25,000 doesn't even need approval from the Board.
I was accepted as a Community Grants Reviewer by OHA for this session of grant applications. I hope they will finally send me something to review.
"Democracy is the only system that persists in asking the powers that be whether they are the powers that ought to be."
– Sydney J. Harris
But I believe its purpose is to provide a venue for kanaka maoli to have access to home loans & other types of financial business that they don't get from "conventional" US type banks.
What types of financial services are not available to kanaka maoli via US type banks? Please elaborate.
FutureNewsNetwork.com
Energy answers are already here.
exerpted from an article in Pacific Business News several months ago:
Federal law requires credit union members to have a common bond such as a church, employer or geographic community.
The planned credit union for Native Hawaiians would have a field of membership consisting of the 2,500 people from the Association of Hawaiian Civic Clubs and 2,000 others from the Hawaiian Home Lands trust.
The business plan calls for the credit union to offer an array of financial services. Among the services they would enjoy are auto loans, lines of credit up to $10,000 and personal loans up to $50,000, Beaupre said.
Prince Kuhio would be the first new credit union in Hawaii since 2001, when the Word of Life Federal Credit Union was formed, according to the Hawaii Credit Union League.
Today, Hawaii has 97 credit unions, five fewer than in 2000.
But their total membership and assets have risen steadily.
All together, the total membership has gone from 612,249 in 2000, to 750,866 in 2005. At the same time, total assets have jumped to $6.6 billion, from $4.1 billion in 2000.
The Native Hawaiian group has a 30-year lease on land in Kapolei from the Hawaiian Home Lands trust, near a proposed Hawaiian Home Lands development.
"This effort is about Hawaiians helping Hawaiians by pooling their resources to make financial resources available to those who need it," Rose said. "We want to serve the underserved."
"Democracy is the only system that persists in asking the powers that be whether they are the powers that ought to be."
– Sydney J. Harris
What types of financial services are not available to kanaka maoli via US type banks? Please elaborate.
Reading about Bumpy Kanahele’s battles really opened my eyes to what Native Hawaiian leaders are up against in this regard.
Hawaiian rights activist Dennis "Bumpy" Kanahele is asking the U.S. Attorney's Office to investigate Bank of America for alleged intimidation.
At a news conference at the federal building yesterday, Kanahele said Bank of America is trying to renege on its commitment to invest up to $150 million in the Hawaiian community.
We can’t be so fixated on our desire to preserve the rights of ordinary Americans. — U.S. President Bill Clinton USA TODAY, page 2A 11 March 1993
I don't know what the status of Bumpy's bid to start a bank is, but think I will ask him. I haven't really kept up with that. Apparently, BofA had committed to $150 Million in loans to Hawaiian community for home loans etc. before they were forced out of the islands. Bumpy and others have been trying to hold them to their promise. That could possibly be the "seed money" to be able to start a new bank. Again, I'm only speculating here - don't know the facts right now but will try to find out.
Or, if there is anyone out there reading this that has some info, please post it and share with us?
"Democracy is the only system that persists in asking the powers that be whether they are the powers that ought to be."
– Sydney J. Harris
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