Senator Lorraine Inouye (District 4 – Hilo, Hāmākua, Kohala, Waimea, Waikoloa, and Kona) issued the following statement today regarding her recent comments on House Bill 499:

“I have been made aware that comments I made during a recent interview about House Bill 499, providing authority for the extension of certain leases of public lands were reported out of context, which led to the isolated statement being hurtful to members of the Hawaiian community.

In seeing how my statement was reported, I apologize for offending anyone who felt that I was being disrespectful towards the Hawaiian people and their culture. That was never my intent and I regret the words I chose to use. Moving forward I am committed to being more sensitive to issues before my Water and Land Committee. I am in conversations with respected Hawaiian cultural practitioners to help educate me on these issues.”

Bill 499: Authorizes the board of land and natural resources to extend certain leases of public lands for commercial, industrial, resort, mixed-use, or government use upon approval of a proposed development agreement to make substantial improvements to the existing improvements. (CD1)

Inouye’s apology comes from a recent interview with HNN where she said…

But lawmakers like Sen. Lorraine Inouye, chair of the Water and Land Senate Committee, say lease extensions ensure economic benefit for Hawaii that “absolutely” outweigh concerns from critics.

“I have a difficult time accepting a reality that it’s ceded lands, and that it’s lands that are taken away from our Hawaiian people. That’s totally not true because it’s providing economic survival … with the income that’s generated from any business on DHH lands as well as those on the public lands,” she said.

“The lands that we talk about are already occupied. So these are all extensions of leases. And so, are you gonna tear down a mall? Or tear down or get rid of those industrial leases that provide the benefits to the people? The auto shops, the lumber yards?”