 Aloha and Happy New Year. I'm Kaylee Akina. In 2017, I completed my first year as an elected statewide public official, a trustee at large in the Office of Hawaiian Affairs. So now I'm reporting to you so you can determine whether I've followed through on the promises I made to voters and to all citizens of Hawaii. But by way of disclaimer, the views I express in this commentary are purely my own and not necessarily those of the Office of Hawaiian Affairs. From the outset, I committed myself to doing three things for the sake of the Hawaiian people. First, ensure a full and independent audit of OHA. Secondly, guide OHA towards financial sustainability as well as growth. And third, watch to make sure OHA funds are not misspent but rather used to meet the real needs of the Hawaiian people. Let's talk about auditing OHA. I'm glad that I was able to be instrumental in ensuring that an independent audit of OHA, targeting fraud, waste and abuse, will begin in early 2018. This independent audit, which goes beyond the scope of OHA's routine financial audits and state legislative audits, will help restore accountability and integrity to OHA. Many individuals worked hard to make this audit possible and I'm so grateful that my proposal was approved unanimously by all nine trustees. I'm also grateful that I was appointed to my first leadership position as chairman of the Audit Advisory Committee. Demonstrating its full commitment, the Board of Trustees authorized $500,000 for this independent audit. That's enough to attract a highly qualified firm in a nationwide search. We estimate that the audit will be completed by mid-2018 and will address areas of concerns to beneficiaries and constituents. Let's now talk about fiscal sustainability. A serious concern I've raised stems from OHA's own financial consultants reporting that the Native Hawaiian Trust Fund was being depleted at a rate of approximately 5% to 6% annually. Now at that rate, the intergenerational equity of the fund was in jeopardy. Immediately when I became a trustee, I produced and distributed a report to other trustees entitled, quote, crucial recommendations for fiscal sustainability. Now you can contact my office for a copy. My report provides a game plan to ensure long-term financial sustainability for a strong OHA so that it can accomplish its mission of bettering the conditions of the Hawaiian people. That game plan, which guides many interactions with the Board on financial matters for OHA, is as follows. Just three points. Number one, protect the trust. That means reduce annual spending and create new policies for controlling the budget. Number two, grow the trust. And that means to ensure that OHA follows sound investment strategies and develops resources like the 30 acres it owns at Kakaako. And finally, three, properly spend the trust. Spend only on OHA's mission to serve the Hawaiian people well. Now let's finally talk about that idea of proper spending. OHA commissioned a scientific survey in 2015, which revealed that the Hawaiian people ranked OHA as the least reputable of all Hawaiian organizations. The survey also showed that Hawaiians did not want OHA to be spending its resources on nation building, but instead on real bread and butter issues, such as housing, jobs, education, and health care for Hawaiians, not for political efforts. So up until then, OHA had spent millions of dollars on pursuing the unsuccessful Akaaka bill and failed registry programs like Kana'i Oluvalu and Na'i Aupuni. In keeping with the will of OHA's beneficiaries and its constitutional mandate, I've worked hard to keep OHA on track and focused on delivering resources that really better the conditions of Hawaiians and on things that they need. Well, looking back, it's been an incredible year. And I want to thank all of you who've stood with me. Without engaged community members, supporters, and my outstanding staff, our accomplishments would not have been possible. Mahalo Nui. I'm humbled to serve the people of Hawai'i. Ehanakako. Let's work together and have a blessed new year. I'm trustee of OHA, Kei-li-i-a-keena. Aloha.