New rules governing public-access TV die at LegislatureBy CLAUDINE SAN NICOLAS, Staff Writer, The Maui News
HONOLULU — Despite widespread statewide support, including from those associated with Akaku: Maui Community Television, legislation to clarify rules for public-access television stations has died this legislative session.
“It’s disappointing,” said Wailuku attorney Lance Collins, who has represented the board of Akaku in lawsuits against the state...."
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According to Maui court records, at least one non-profit high school television station was competing against Akaku for the State procurement contract for public access television until the same Lance Collins' protests and lawsuits against the State of Hawaii as well as the bunch of high school media, arts and science students managed to stall the public procurement process and successful manage to maintain the status quo, no procurement, no audits, and exemption from the law which not unreasonably expects public accountability for the millions of dollars of money authorized, ordered and paid to Akaku by the State of Hawaii to provide Public, Educational and Governmental Access to the entire County of Maui County, including the Islands of Molokai and Lanai.
Akaku: Maui Community Television Staffers report being concerned about the millions of dollars of unaccounted for public access television funds budgeted to provide public access television services, being misappropriated at the expense of Maui's outer Island communities. Instead being wasted on executive travel, meals, trips to the mainland, credit card expenses, bottled water, ..., along with self serving, self billed, lawsuits based on false testimony along with lobbying for legislation and promotion of political candidates that seriously jeopardize Akaku's ability to maintain its non-profit status in good standing.
