The family of a west Maui heiau says, they trashed it. Maui Electric calls it a terrible mistake and takes full responsibility, but the family says, that's not good enough. The subcontractors were working on transmission lines near that Heiau and the family happened to be there one day filming a documentary.

WHen they got there, they found the orange barrier fence knocked down and two maui electric vehicles parked on the family's sacred land. And, that's not all. The family also found toilet paper strewn about and someone had used the bathroom right on the ground. Maui Electric says, one of the workers admitted to defecating on the site. The company has since bought a full page ad in the Maui news due out Friday, apologizing to the Kaleo and Kahaialii families.

"Such actions are offensive to the entire community and although we privately offered our apology to the family, we take this very seriously and our committment to the hawaiian culture and the preservation of sacred sites," said Edward Reinhardt, the president of Maui Electric.

"The word that applies would be appalled, embarrassed, and just very shameful that things like this happen," said Wilmont Kahaialii.

His cousin Keaulii Blaisdell said, "there is no word to how our family feels and I'm pretty sure the Hawaiian community at large would agree with how we feel once we see something like this."

The subcontractors work for PAR Electric Contractors, a Missouri-based company that has done work for other electric companies in Hawaii. Maui Electric has cancelled the company's projects for the rest of the year as it looks to add cultural senstivity workshops to the training.

All this is not over yet. The family is meeting with the Office of Hawaiian Affairs Friday. And the family says, it might take legal action.

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