ASSOCIATION OF HAWAIIAN CIVIC CLUBS
A RESOLUTION
No. 2017 – 50
URGING GOVERNOR DAVID IGE AND THE HAWAI‘I STATE LEGISLATURE TO REQUIRE A LEVEL OF HAWAIIAN LANGUAGE PROFICIENCY AS A MINIMUM QUALIFICATION OR SELECTIVE CERTIFICATION REQUIREMENT FOR THE POSITION OF INFORMATION SPECIALIST I-IV OR PUBLIC INFORMATION OFFICER
WHEREAS, the position description of an INFORMATION SPECIALIST I-IV of the State of Hawai‘i states, “The work does require the ability to present material in a style, manner of presentation and format that is best suited to the needs of the audience for whom the material is intended;” and
WHEREAS, the minimum qualifications for INFORMATION SPECIALIST only specifies, “writing materials for presentations, publications, or news releases using accepted rules of standard English grammar, syntax, sentence structure, punctuation, etc… to best reach target audiences;” and
WHEREAS, the Hawaiian language is also an official language of the State of Hawai‘i; and
WHEREAS, the target audiences of many of the state’s public information materials are speakers and readers of the Hawaiian language and use Hawaiian language public media; and
WHEREAS, it is important for INFORMATION SPECIALIST and PUBLIC INFORMATION OFFICERS to pronounce and spell Hawaiian proper names and Hawaiian place names correctly to avoid ambiguity and confusion in times of emergencies; and
WHEREAS, an INFORMATION SPECIALIST and PUBLIC INFORMATION OFFICERS should be able to also use accepted rules of standard Hawaiian grammar, syntax, sentence structure, punctuation, etc…to best reach the target audience of speakers and readers of the Hawaiian language; and
WHEREAS, the ability to speak, translate, and interpret the Hawaiian language, in addition to understanding cultural differences, is vital to effectively providing accurate public information to the Hawaiian community; and
WHEREAS, there are already many positions in the state of Hawaiʻi government that require a special language proficiencies, such as ABSTRACTORS and VISITOR INFORMATION PERSONS; and
WHEREAS, the state of Hawaiʻi Department of Human Resources Development (DHRD) already has policies and procedures to establish minimum qualifications and selective certification requirements for languages (Policy Number 200.005); and
WHEREAS, completion of an oral and written Hawaiian language proficiency course recommended by DHRD comparable to one year of college level Hawaiian language course may be set as the qualifying language proficiency requirement by DHRD.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, by the Association of Hawaiian Civic Clubs at its 58th Annual Convention in Seattle, Washington, in the malama of ʻIkuwā and the rising of Māhealani, this 4th day of November 2017, urging Governor David Ige and the Hawai‘i State Legislature to require a level of Hawaiian language proficiency as a minimum qualification or selective certification requirement for the position of Information Specialist I-IV or Public Information Officer; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the Department of Human Resources Development consult with the Department of Education Office of Hawaiian Education on determining a level of Hawaiian language proficiency; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that a certified copy of this resolution be transmitted to James K. Nishimoto, Director of the State of Hawai‘i Department of Human Resources Development, as well as the Governor of the State of Hawai‘i, President of the State Senate, Speaker of the State House of Representatives, Chair of the State Senate Committee on Hawaiian Affairs, Chair of the State House Committee on Ocean, Marine Resources & Hawaiian Affairs, Chair of the Board of Trustees of the Office of Hawaiian Affairs, and all County Mayors.
The undersigned hereby certifies that the foregoing Resolution was duly adopted in the malama of ʻIkuwā and the rising of Māhealani on the 4th day of November 2017, at the 58th Annual Convention of the Association of Hawaiian Civic Clubs in Seattle, Washington.
Annelle C. Amaral, President
