REQUESTING CITY EMPLOYEES TO GREET THE PUBLIC USING THE WORDS "ALOHA" AND "MAHALO."

    WHEREAS, the State of Hawaii was officially designated as the "Aloha State" during impending statehood in 1959 (HRS Section 5-7); and

    WHEREAS, Act 186, Session Laws of Hawaii 1986, further recognized the "Aloha Spirit" as a life force which is expressly stated in HRS Section 5-7.5 and reads in part:

    ". . .It was the working philosophy of native Hawaiians and was presented as a gift to the people of Hawaii. "Aloha" is more than a word of greeting or farewell or a salutation. "Aloha" means mutual regard and affection and extends warmth in caring with no obligation in return. "Aloha" is the essence of relationships in which each person is important to every other person for collective existence. . . ." ;

and

    WHEREAS, the "aloha spirit" is personified by the warmth, friendliness and sincerity of Hawaii's people, who are the State's most precious resource in promoting the Aloha State's visitor industry; and

    WHEREAS, the Council recognizes the value of promoting the "aloha spirit" in the workplace and wishes to encourage the "aloha spirit" among City officers and employees to help effectively serve the people of Oahu; now, therefore,    

    BE IT RESOLVED by the Council of the City and County of Honolulu that it requests city employees to use the words "aloha" and "mahalo" as official expressions of the "aloha spirit" when meeting the public or answering telephone calls from the public; and

    BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Managing Director's Office conduct "aloha spirit" training classes for City supervisors and managers to apply the "aloha spirit" in dealing with City employees and encourage employees to express the "aloha spirit" when serving the public; and

                         INTRODUCED BY:

                         Rene Mansho

                        
                                Councilmembers

DATE OF INTRODUCTION:

April 8, 1997

Honolulu, Hawaii

(OCS/060597/mg)