Honorable Robert Bunda

President of the Senate

Twenty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2003

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committees on Water, Land, and Agriculture and Transportation, Military Affairs, and Government Operations, to which was referred Governor's Message No. 242, submitting for study and consideration the nomination of:

beg leave to report as follows:

Upon review of the background information submitted by the nominee, your Committees find that Burt H. Sakata was born and raised in Hawaii. He has worked for various Maui businesses, including his current position with the Grand Wailea Resort; he has been actively involved with the Protect Kaho`olawe `Ohana (PKO) for more than twenty-two years; and he is a current member of the Kaho`olawe Island Reserve Commission (KIRC), representing the PKO. Throughout his adult life, Mr. Sakata has been very active in community organizations, including working on the Citizen Advisory Committee for Wailuku/Kahului and being on the boards of Kohe Malamalama O Kanaloa, Kauahea, and Planned Parenthood Maui.

Testimony in support of the nominee was submitted to your Committees by the Kaho`olawe Island Reserve Commission and the Protect Kaho`olawe `Ohana.

Your Committees' members diligently questioned the nominee regarding his administrative qualifications, his vision and priorities for the KIRC, and related policy issues presently before the Legislature. In addition, your Committees questioned Mr. Sakata regarding the imminent transfer of management of Kaho`olawe from the Navy to the State of Hawaii on November 11, 2003. Your Committees believe that the nominee adequately responded to the Committees' inquiries by explaining that November 11 is one of many of the island's milestones, and one for which he believes he should remain on the KIRC to assist in building a bridge of transition. Mr. Sakata focused on the importance of education of the public, safe and appropriate use of Kaho`olawe, and the blending of meaningful access to the island with limitations on the liability of the State for those visitors.

Your Committees find that Mr. Sakata has maintained a commitment to Kaho`olawe for more than twenty years. He has physically labored on the environmental and cultural restoration of Kaho`olawe, served as the logistics coordinator for the PKO, and overseen the safe access of thousands of people to the island. Mr. Sakata has helped monitor the Navy and its contractor's activities during the ordnance cleanup, gleaning a strong working knowledge of unexploded ordnance hazards, precautionary measures, and clearance and removal protocol. He also helped organize and install the educational exhibit "Kaho`olawe: Rebirth of a Sacred Hawaiian Island" at the Smithsonian Institute's Arts and Industries Building during the summer of 2002. The experience and knowledge of Kaho`olawe that Mr. Sakata has developed over the years will be valuable during the management development processes ahead, and he will be an asset for mapping a successful transition of management responsibility from the Navy to the State.

As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Water, Land, and Agriculture and Transportation, Military Affairs, and Government Operations that are attached to this report, your Committees, after full consideration of the background, character, experience, and qualifications of the nominee, has found the nominee to be qualified for the position to which nominated and recommend that the Senate advise and consent to the nomination.