The State Historic Preservation Division of the Department of Land and Natural Resources is responsible for protecting Hawaii’s cultural and historic sites, and are the ones ultimately responsible whenever a Hawaiian burial is discovered at a construction site. The Division’s name has been in the spotlight over the past few months due to the Honolulu Rail Project, the work being done at Kawaiaha’o Church and the newly discovered remains found at the Waihonua development in Kakaako.
In the case of the Honolulu Rail Project, the Hawaii Supreme Court found that the State Historic Preservation Division (SHPD) was in violation for allowing the city to start construction without having an archaeological survey completed of the entire rail line. At Kawaiaha’o Church, the Hawaii Intermediate Court of Appeals stated that it is likely that the SHPD violated their own procedure for approving the construction of a multipurpose building without requiring a survey from the church. The SHPD has stated that a lack of funding is partially to blame for these challenges.
In the last two years the SHPD has hired four archaeologists two burial site specialists and an architectural historian. The Division has stated that over the next eight months they would like to hire another two archaeologists another burial sites specialist, an archivist, an information technology specialist and a history and culture branch chief. If these hires are made, the State Historic Preservation Division would have a total staff of 30 people.
Source: Honolulu Star Advertiser, 10-22-2012, www.staradvertiser.com
Posted by Jeff Uyemura-Reyes, Broker-in-Charge, Realtor®
Global Executive Realty, LLC
www.myhawaiihomesearch.com
www.myhawaiicondo.com
www.myhawaiidreamhome.com
Posted by Jeff Uyemura-Reyes, Broker-in-Charge, Realtor®
Global Executive Realty, LLC
www.myhawaiihomesearch.com
www.myhawaiicondo.com
www.myhawaiidreamhome.com
