HONOLULU—The Board of Directors of the Waimanalo Health Center Thursday night voted to oust Executive Director Kawahine Kamakea-Ohelo after many former employees came forward with written and/or testimonial evidence of wrongdoing.

After the vote, board president Peter Kama failed to execute the wishes of the board to remove Kamakea-Ohelo and limit her access to the Waimanalo Health Center following her dismissal.

Federal investigators are looking into allegations of the use of federal and state contract funds for personal gain, inconsistent hiring and firing practices, nepotism, welfare fraud, and questionable political activities by Kamakea-Ohelo and most of her administrative staff.

"These alleged ongoing abuses have seriously impacted the access to basic family health needs for the community of Waimanalo. This is tantamount to stealing from the sick and is empirically wrong," said Senator Fred Hemmings (District 25—Kailua-Waimanalo-Portlock)

"I have been privy to evidence that convinces me of the malfeasance associated with the Waimanalo Health Center. For some of those who live in Waimanalo, this is their only source of health care, why would someone try to rob them of that," Hemmings continued.

"This has imperiled the integrity of the agency and put in jeopardy the welfare of the employees," Hemmings concluded.

According to the Waimanalo Health Center website, the facility served 3,020 patients in 1997, the majority of which were Native Hawaiians that fall below the federal poverty level.

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