Hawaii liaison office cleared of mismanagement allegation

A special investigation committee at the House of Representatives said it found no evidence of serious irregularities at Hawaii Liaison Office concerning its services to medical referral patients.

Rep. Clyde Norita, chair of two separate special committees tasked to investigate the liaison office and the allegations filed by a patient’s family, said that although there are several complaints about abuses, “the committee finds none that would render such actions illegal.”

The investigations stemmed from a complaint lodged by Ramon Sakisat, whose son was referred to Hawaii for a two-year treatment.

Sakisat alleged discriminatory and corrupt practices and mismanagement of public lands at the liaison office, among others.

Norita said that, on the issue of transportation, delays occur at times “for legitimate reasons”—such as patients having appointments on the same schedule but in different places, number of vehicles, and drivers available.

The liaison office, he said, accommodates all the patients’ transportation needs to and from their places of appointment.

Further, the special committee said that all privileges extended to patients and official escorts were accorded pursuant to existing policies.

“The committee finds that alleged discriminatory practices and abuse of public funds by the liaison office is baseless and without merit,” said the committee in its report.

Though there may be minor accounting discrepancies, the committee said it will rely on the Office of the Public Auditor, which has began its audit of the office.

The committee said that when Sakisat and his three other children joined his sick son and his wife, the official escort, the family required a bigger lodging accommodation “and it was provided.”

This despite a November 2002 policy requiring that all patients and their official escorts be moved to studio accommodations.

“This policy was applied consistently to all patients and official escorts. As such, the difference in cost for a larger accommodation had be to paid by Mr. Sakisat. The municipality of Tinian through the mayor’s office paid Mr. Sakisat’s additional expense for the different accommodation,” said the committee.

In the report, the committee said that some other patients have complaints pertaining to the lack and delays in transportation, lack of visitation of patients by the liaison officer, and the distant location of the office and the Pagoda Hotel.

The Sakisats stayed at Pagoda Hotel.

“Other issues raised by the office staff are within the parameters and control of the management,” said the committee.

It said that the liaison officer’s visit to patients is his personal discretion.

The committee earlier required the submission of copies of medical referral policies pertaining to eligibility, room and board, travel and escort from the Department of Public Health following complaints by Sakisat.

As part of the investigation, Norita, Rep. Justo Quitugua, and House legal counsel Joe Bermudez flew to Hawaii to inspect and interview patients and office staff.

The committee, in the report, recommended that the Commonwealth seek another liaison office, relocate the liaison to Pagoda Hotel or near it to alleviate some of the delay.

The committee considers the Sakisat investigation closed.