Posted on: Sunday, August 19, 2001

Editorial
World Trade Center helps business image

Hawai'i is long past the day when it kidded itself into believing the world would beat a path to our doors simply because we are here.

In a geographic sense, at any rate, there is little reality to the idea that we are the "crossroads" of the Pacific or the physical spot where the twain of East and West finally meet.

What we can be, however, is a place where both East and West comfortably do business, share ideas or blend cultures. To a degree many of us fail to recognize, that already happens here. From the military and security work taking place at the Pacific Command to the tourism industry and cultural exchanges, Hawai'i is host to a considerable amount of East-West action.

Toward that end, it is good news that the state has decided to put long-dormant plans for a World Trade Center in Honolulu into higher gear.

The state has held the license or franchise for such a center in Honolulu at least since 1993, but has done little with it. So recently, it called for bids from private operators for the franchise.

There is no one model for such a center, which typically offers information, services and logistical support to multinational companies. Some operate on a for-profit basis and some are government-run.

Since the state paid around $100,000 for the trade center license, there is a desire to recover that money. It is looking for something like $200,000 outright (plus a transfer fee) or a leasing arrangement.

There is nothing wrong with recouping some of the money that has been spent. But that should be far from the first objective as the state passes this project off to someone else.

The primary objective should be to get the center up and running. We have long struggled to create an image as a serious place to do business. Having a functioning World Trade Center would help build that image.