STAND. COM. REP. NO.  1623

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2007

RE:   H.R. No. 173

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Fourth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2007

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on International Affairs, to which was referred H.R. No. 173 entitled:

"HOUSE RESOLUTION REQUESTING THE SPARK M. MATSUNAGA INSTITUTE FOR PEACE, LOCATED WITHIN THE CENTER FOR POLICY STUDIES AT THE UNIVERSITY OF HAWAII AT MANOA, TO CONVENE A WORKING GROUP TO EXPLORE THE POSSIBILITY OF DESIGNATING HAWAII AS THE "GENEVA OF THE PACIFIC","

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this resolution is to request the Spark M. Matsunaga Institute for Peace, located within the Center for Policy Studies at the University of Hawaii at Manoa, to convene a working group to explore the possibility of designating Hawaii as the "Geneva of the Pacific."

     The Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism and several concerned individuals testified in support of this resolution.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on International Affairs that is attached to this report, your Committee concurs with the intent and purpose of H.R. No. 173 and recommends that it be referred to the Committee on Higher Education.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on International Affairs,

____________________________

RIDA T.R. CABANILLA, Chair