(Kapolei, O?ahu) – Hawaiian Homes Commission Chair William J. Ail?, Jr. issued the following statement on the U.S. Department of the Interior’s announcement of the development of a formal Native Hawaiian community consultation policy.

“The inclusion of community perspectives in government policymaking is a critical piece of civic engagement. DHHL established a formal Beneficiary Consultation Policy of its own in 2009 and has successfully used it to engage with native Hawaiian beneficiaries to make the implementation of the Hawaiian Homes Commission Act a better reflection of the community’s wants and desires. This DOI announcement is a welcomed step forward by the United States towards additional collaboration and inclusion of the Hawaiian perspective in its policymaking.”