The public must question “leaders” on where they are actually leading us—inherent in the very word leader is the idea of a destination. Leadership without vision is not leadership at all; it’s drifting. True leaders hold a clear, shared vision and chart a path toward it, especially in times of uncertainty. Without that, we risk being steered by inertia, habit, or the loudest voices, rather than by the needs and values of the communities we serve. National leaders seem less concerned with direction than with battling each other, but here in Hawai‘i, we have no bandwidth for performance politics. We cannot ignore U.S. domestic and foreign policy when environmental, public safety, food security, and immigration issues reach us daily.
The following questions aim to deepen community engagement and strengthen local diplomacy around the future of Pōhakuloa Training Area (PTA) in Hawai’i County. The questions are not meant to imply or expect direct decision-making authority by the County, but rather to explore its role – and council members’ and agency directors’ roles – as leaders and advocates. They touch legal, cultural, environmental, and political dimensions, highlighting tensions such as public trust obligations, public benefit, and the County’s vision and stewardship in home rule and advocacy for the people. We already see where we’re headed—and it’s time to face what that reality will look like. The future of diplomacy is local.
Legal & Fiduciary
- How does the County of Hawai‘i see its role in supporting the State’s constitutional duties to protect trust lands like PTA, especially in light of the Hawai‘i Supreme Court ruling in Ching v. Case (2019)?
Cultural & Historical Integrity
- What is your perspective on how the County can honor Native Hawaiian trust obligations when considering the military’s lease or potential land swaps at PTA?
Public Benefit vs. Public Cost
- How can the County advocate for a transparent inventory and assessment of the tangible public benefits vs the environmental, socioeconomic and cultural costs of the PTA lease for Hawai‘i residents?
- Do you believe that live-fire training at PTA impacts residentsʻ physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual health?
Long-Term Vision
- What is your vision for the stewardship and future of Pōhakuloa over the next 50 years, and how can the County help ensure that vision respects both the land, culture and the health of our people?
- If this land is truly held in public trust, is continued military use compatible with that trust?
- How do we explain to future generations if the land remains contaminated or continues to be culturally desecrated?
Environmental Stewardship
- What role do you believe the County can play in pushing for environmental cleanup, cultural protections, and greater accountability from federal and state authorities regarding PTA?
- If residents are held to strict zoning regulations, how can the County elevate concerns that the military is equally held accountable, so the protections of conservation lands and zoning use are never eroded?