Letters to the Editor
Creating inland park would be a mistake
Gov. Ben Cayetano wants to close a money-making venture, the Ala Wai Golf Course, and create an inland park — a "central park."
On the Fourth of July, I observed Kapi'olani Park (except for the Kapi'olani Bandstand area) completely underused. Everyone had pitched tents and had picnics on the beachfront, Natatorium side, just as they did at Ala Moana Beach Park. Islanders don't want or need an inland park.
If an inland park is not used on the Fourth of July, when would it be? Who would use it? Would it become a mecca for the homeless, who are already encroaching on the outside of the Ala Wai Golf Course?
Linda Hansen
Scorecard needed to tell Gill siblings apart
Editorial cartoonist Dick Adair is confused, but he is not the first person to confuse me with my brother Eric.
For those who need a scorecard to keep the kids of Tom and Lois Gill straight, I offer the following:
The former lieutenant governor, member of Congress, territorial and state representative and Democratic Party leader, Tom Gill, had six children.They are, in the order of their birth:
1. Thomas Anthony "Tony" Gill, currently the attorney for the University of Hawai'i Professional Assembly (faculty union).
2. Andrea "Andie" Gill, executive director of the Hawai'i Forest Industry Association and an energy specialist with the State of Hawai'i.
3. Eric Gill, newly re-elected leader of the Hotel Workers Union, Local 5.
4. Ivan Gill, professor of marine geology, living and teaching in New Orleans.
5. Tim Gill, a maritime attorney in San Francisco.
6. Gary Gill, former City Council chairman and currently the state deputy health director for the environment.
The entire Gill family is healthy, happy and doing fine. Tom and Lois have 12 grandkids.
Gary Gill
Micronesians should get better treatment
As the superintendent of the United Methodist Church in the Micronesian Islands, as well as the state of Hawai'i, I wish to state my concern for the needs of the people of Micronesia, especially those who live in Hawai'i, because of the special compact agreement with the United States.
I firmly believe that those who are islanders in the Pacific need to be in solidarity with one another to ensure that all are treated with dignity and that the rights of all are respected. The Micronesian people who are now residing in Hawai'i need to be guaranteed the same rights to food, shelter and adequate health care that all other residents are entitled to.
The United States used the islands of these people for dangerous experiments with long-lasting consequences. This is the least we can do for our Pacific sisters and brothers.
Barbara Grace Ripple
Superintendent, Hawai'i District, The United Methodist Church
New lifeguard towers should inspire thanks
If you are lucky enough to drive along the Ka Iwi coast in the next few weeks, look to the sea and you will see the first new lifeguard towers installed by the city in decades.
What you will not see, but I hope you will think about and honor, are all those unsung heroes and heroines in the Emergency Response System (911), police and fire, but mostly the understaffed, overworked, sleep-deprived EMTs and dispatchers, who sometimes give up their health and a projected loss of 10 years of their life-spans to save your lives.
Ironically, the lifeguards who directly lay their lives on the line to save you from the sea are not considered part of the EMS-911 system, a bureaucratic oversight of epic, life-threatening proportions.
So, look to the sea, and let the new lifeguard towers inspire you to say a little prayer of thanksgiving for all those men and women who are willing to lay down their lives for yours — there is no greater love.
Mandy Higa
Drunken drivers must be targeted
We are students from Moanalua Middle Summer School, and we are writing about a problem in our community: drunk driving.
People are going around our neighborhood dangerously drinking and driving. and that can cause many deaths of innocent people. (To learn more about drinking and driving, visit our Web site: http://ecell.k12.hi.us/activism_workshop/drugs_alcohol/index.html)
We are very concerned about this problem and have some ideas to prevent this:
• In front of bars, there should be taxis waiting so drunken customers won't drive home.
• Breath analyzers should be in every car to sense the alcohol level of drivers. If it's past the limit, then the car won't start.
• Have lower limits to the number of drinks a person can have and still be allowed to drive.
• More laws and more fines should be created to prevent drinking and driving.
• Have more advertisements that tell the truth about drinking and driving.
• Traffic lights should have signs that ask, "Did you drink alcohol?"
Please read this with consideration because it is a very serious problem that's affecting almost everyone's community and neighborhood.
Karli, Jenny, Tanya
