Letters to the Editor

Don’t link sovereignty with oil development

It was with great shock that I read in the Sunday paper that both Sens. Akaka and Inouye favored opening the Arctic National Refuge for drilling.

I couldn’t imagine that these men, representing the state with the only rainforest in America and the most endangered species, would support desecrating the environment and so many species of animals in another state for only six months of oil.

Now it is made clear. Both our senators are willing to sacrifice habitat that belongs to the world to get the Native Hawaiian recognition bill passed. Some sort of deal has been made with Alaska’s and Utah’s senators, both very pro-oil and pro-development, in order to advance the Hawaiian bill.

I wonder if Hawaiians, with their deep cultural respect of nature and the Earth, agree to this tradeoff? Native Hawaiian rights should not come at this price, and I don’t believe any Hawaiian would support this defilement of nature to advance their cause.

I fully support Hawaiian sovereignty, but not at any cost. Let the Native Hawaiian bill pass or fail on its own merits, not on the back of the rest of the planet’s environment.

Michele Nihipali
Ka‘a‘awa

Get back to basics: Focus on education

Gov. Cayetano persists in promoting his plan for a new $30 million aquarium as a tourist attraction. Super idea ... except for the statistics that show us our hotel occupancy rate is way up and our school test scores are way down.

What about taking care of basics first and building something we can be truly proud of: a solid public-school education system for our Island children? Otherwise, the tourists and kama‘aina can visit our beautiful $30 million aquarium, but will be knocked on the head and their purses snatched as they exit the building by the guy who didn’t get that education.

Please publish the most recent statistics on purse snatchings and burglaries for our governor.

Cheryl Cook
Kailua

We don’t want to listen to your cell phone calls

I take the express bus to and from work daily and I also own a cell phone. But I have been bugged, irritated and annoyed by the rings of cell phones on the bus.

Imagine sitting on the bus, tired after a day’s work and trying to catch a little nap, read or meditate and relax. Suddenly, you are awakened by a cell phone ringing and the person next to you, not necessarily a teenager, starts talking story about his or her personal life throughout the bus ride for all to hear. Very inconsiderate.

I understand calling your home to say you’ll be late, but to chitchat the whole hour? Where is the aloha spirit and manners in the bus? We ban radios in the bus; how about banning receiving calls on cell phones?

Now the worse thing are bus drivers on a cell phone. Although there has yet to be a law against using cell phones while driving, this one takes the cake. Recently, the driver of my bus was on the cell phone most of the time while driving all the way to Pearl City. He was either receiving phone calls or making calls in the darkness before dawn. What is it that is so important that he cannot wait until he reaches Downtown for his shift change in order to make and receive calls?

I hope the Legislature will consider a ban on the use of cell phones by all vehicle drivers, especially public transportation drivers.

Rosita Sipirok-Siregar
Makakilo

Most favored purchase of Kahuku Ranch

The Feb. 27 article on the National Park Service’s proposal to purchase Kahuku Ranch on the Island of Hawai‘i inaccurately portrayed what transpired at a public meeting in Hilo on Feb. 26.

Although a few people spoke against the proposal, there was overwhelming support for the purchase. In a show of hands at the end of the meeting, approximately 90 of the 100-plus attendees supported the proposal.

The article quoted three of the four people who spoke against the proposals, but did not mention that Mayor Harry Kim, land board member Fred Holschuh, forestry official Jon Giffin and dozens of citizens spoke in favor of the purchase.

The article was also remiss in failing to mention the special resources at Kahuku Ranch and why national park designation is appropriate. These include geologic features of Mauna Loa, essential forest bird habitat for endangered nene, ‘akepa, creeper and, possibly, the elusive ‘akiapola‘au, Mauna Loa silverswords, rare native dry forest, dozens of native Hawaiian plants and insects, and native Hawaiian cultural sites.

The Kahuku Ranch purchase is a rare opportunity for some very good things to happen in Ka‘u. Your readers deserve accurate and objective reporting of these and other important issues and opportunities on the Big Island.

Marjorie Ziegler
EarthJustice Hawai‘i

Pro-fluoridation claims don’t hold up to scrutiny

Once again the Legislature is considering several bills to add fluoride to our public drinking water. Advocates of fluoridation make three basic claims, all of which are flawed:

Fluoridation of water is safe. Not so. Sodium fluoride, the fluoride compound most widely used in water fluoridation, is used as a pesticide and insecticide. Manufacturers of toothpaste and mouthwashes containing sodium fluoride warn users not to swallow it. A typical warning states: "If you accidentally swallow ... , seek professional assistance or contact a poison control center immediately."

Fluoridation of the water reduces cavities. Not so. Fluoridation of the public water supply reduces cavities only if it is accompanied by good dental hygiene. As long as people continue to eat candy and other sweets and drink soda without brushing afterward, the rate of cavities will remain the same.

A dentist in Chicago noted that the amount of children’s cavities increased even with fluoridated water and fluoride treatment due to poor dental hygiene. The Public Health Service, a pro-fluoride agency, did a study titled "The Healthy People 2000 Document" that compared the rate of cavities in fluoridated and nonfluoridated communities and found no difference in the prevalence of cavities. The suggested reasons include: reduction in the consumption of refined sugars, improvements in oral hygiene, increased awareness of dental health.

Fluoridation of the water system is the most cost-effective means of reducing cavities. Not so. The bills in the Legislature call for spending $12.5 million over a three-year period — $12.5 million for a system that does not reach every community. On the Big Island, there are large areas that are on catchment or private water systems. Or the public water system is too small to fill the requirements of the bill.

Over 90 percent of the water used by a household goes down the drain, washing clothes, dishes, people, pets, etc., flushing the toilet, etc. — $11.25 million down the drain; $11.25 million that could be used to purchase textbooks for our schools, lower the student-to-teacher ratio and generally improve our school system.

Glenn Carvalho

Hate-crimes bill should at least receive vote

On Feb. 27, I started my testimony on the hate-crimes bill with a thank you to the Judiciary and Hawaiian Affairs Committee for hearing this legislation. At that time, I did not foresee that the rest of the committee would fail to attend the meeting in time for the vote.

This brings me to a concern that threatens to derail a very important bill. In the past, some House committees never convened hearings to vote on the hate-crime bills for that year’s session. On other occasions, the committee chair would refuse to attend the committee meeting in order to not vote.

It is disheartening to contemplate that this year could very well be a repeat of this caliber of irresponsible legislative behavior. For the House of Representatives to again derail the hate-crimes bill when the Senate has passed the bill is one vivid example of a good cop/bad cop game that plays with people’s lives.

Carolyn Martinez Golojuch

Guardrail is missing at Jones accident site

The unfortunate accident involving June Jones is almost tragic, especially when you stop to think that luckily, no one else has hit the bridge pillar at that same location along H-1, just past the Pearl Harbor/Nimitz off-ramp.

The area is an accident waiting to happen.

This past weekend, curiosity got the better of me and I drove past the accident scene. I noticed something very important was missing just past that off-ramp: the guardrail. All along H-1, there are steel guardrails to prevent cars from leaving the freeway if they veer out of control. There is no guardrail just past the Pearl Harbor off-ramp. If you wipe out there, you will hit the bridge pillar of Kamehameha Highway, which crosses above.

This is negligence on the part of the Department of Transportation. This must be addressed before another accident occurs at that same location and claims a life.

Ray Edwards
Waipahu

Hate crimes must be treated seriously

Your Feb. 28 editorial on the hate-crimes bill currently before the Legislature is shortsighted. You say that judges need flexibility to make their sentences reflective of the seriousness of the crime and that "expressions of hatred for race or sexual orientation always have been factors in such judgments." Always?

Would that it were the case, especially with respect to sexual orientation. In fact, your own reporting in the last several days has cited instances to the contrary.

Hatred as a motive for crime must be treated just as any other motive. A person should not think he can walk down the street and say "Let’s kill the fag!" and think he is going to get a lesser sentence than if he were going to rob somebody. And the way to ensure that, given the frailties of the judicial system, is to pass the hate-crimes bill.

Bill Hoffman
Princeville

There are no excuses for not using car seats

I am a mother of a 2-year-old son, and I know the risks involved with him not being in a properly restrained car seat. I would never put him into jeopardy by letting him sit in a regular seat.

I live in an area where far too many parents just don’t care enough about their children to keep them safe. Their child sits on their laps, or in the back of a truck, but not in a car seat. And when asked about why they don’t have a child seat, they say, quite angrily, that they can’t afford it. All the while, their $300 Hawaiian bracelets jingle on their arms, their $30 false nails click and clack on the counter, and their $50 Fantastic Sam Color and Curl fly in the breeze, smelling of designer imposter perfumes as they order their extra-value meal, super-sized.

The law is black and white when it comes to child restraints, but unfortunately, parents and the police only seem to see it through rose-colored glasses. I don't have false nails, and I don't have my hair permed or professionally colored, but my son does have his car seat, and I have peace of mind that I am doing my job, as his parent, in doing my best to keep him safe.

Daisy Lee

Maui airport needs affordable hotel

Alexander and Baldwin has correctly identified a pressing need for overnight accommodations near the Kahului Airport for people who fly to Maui for a day or two to transact their business and then leave.

It will also be convenient and helpful for tourists who are arriving on Maui late in the evenings. They can stay at the airport hotel for the night and then drive to their holiday accommodations in Wailea or Ka‘anapali the next day.

This letter is written as an open request to A&B to consider adding another dimension to its airport hotel. Every year, more and more students who need overnight accommodations are coming to Maui. These youngsters may be participating in football, baseball, volleyball, track, tennis, swimming, soccer, band festivals, speech tournaments, etc. There are also youths participating in other activities who need affordable accommodations, e.g., youth conferences, church meetings, scouting, planning sessions, and other gatherings of youngsters from throughout the Islands.

Because A&B has always been a generous and active corporate participant in the life and development of Maui and because it owns all of the land around the affected area, I hope it will give serious consideration to adding truly affordable accommodations for the youngsters of Hawai‘i and the nation.

The facilities could be designed and operated like youth hostels in Europe. Or, they could be developed like a campsite, with cabins housing a dozen or two dozen students each and with a room in the cabins for adult chaperones.

Such an addition would also be welcome and used by adults coming home to Maui for class reunions, camp reunions, family reunions and all the other types of gatherings that need a friendly, safe and affordable place to house off-island guests.

William T. Kinaka

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