State House Speaker Scott Saiki today said it’s time to replace the University of Hawaii as the management entity of Maunakea.
Speaking on the floor of the House, Saiki said the university should stop its pursuit of renewal of its master lease of the Big Island mountain, home of Hawaii’s world-class astronomy observatories.
That lease expires in 2033.
“The university has tried its best to manage Maunakea, but for too long, the university’s work has been shrouded by its inability to appropriately manage cultural practices, resources and education.”
The mountain was the site of protests and arrests in 2019, as opponents of the Thirty Meter Telescope project staged a massive blockade of the access road, stalling construction activities for months before winter, and then the coronavirus pandemic set in.
Describing those demonstrations as “a manifestation of what happens when we draw lines, work in silos and disregard different views,” Saiki said the House “will introduce a resolution to begin the process of reassessing a new governance structure for Maunakea.”
See Wednesday’s Tribune-Herald for a complete story.
Email John Burnett at jburnett@hawaiitribune-herald.com.