Letters to the Editor
Reckless crossing also to blame in accident
Concerning the $1.5 million the state agreed to pay Christopher Loyek from New Jersey in which he was hit by a car while running across Ka'ahumanu Highway: Loyek's attorney Jan Weinberg is blaming cell phone use by the driver whose car hit Loyek as a contributing cause of the accident and believes the $1.5 million paid by the state isn't enough to cause lawmakers to ban cell phone use in cars.
Before passing any new laws, we should enforce the ones already on the books and fine people who recklessly run across highways without looking.
Roy Kamisato
Money being wasted on mayor invitations
The invitations from the mayor's office keep coming.
In the past few weeks, I've received invitations to the first birthday of the Kapi'olani Park Bandstand, the "brunch on the beach" kickoff and an invitation from the mayor to attend the festivities at the new Central O'ahu Regional Park. (Note to office staff: I didn't vote for this mayor; take me off your mailing list, please.)
I was reading the latest invitation at about the same time the TV newscaster was reporting the water-main break and resultant sinkhole in Wai'anae. Then the picture shifted to the massive traffic tie-up along Farrington Highway — yet again. Then it hit me. Why doesn't the city spend the money on fixing our problems instead of promoting a candidate?
The money spent for the first birthday bash, the brunches on the beaches and now the regional park, not to mention the cost of all those invitations, could have been better spent if it was used on preventive maintenance of the infrastructure before it broke. Technology exists that allows underground pipes to be inspected without having to dig a hole or to repair one after it suddenly appears. These funds could have helped pay for the inspections.
Instead of concentrating on monument building, the city administration should concentrate on the well-being of its citizens. The people on the Wai'anae Coast deserve no less than those in Waikiki and East Honolulu. I hope the Leeward voters remember this inattention to their needs come election time.
Jim Fromm
Waipahu
Military is essential to Hawai'i's economy
Raymond L. Chuan, in his July 14 letter, states the military needs Hawai'i a lot more than Hawai'i needs the military. Nothing could be further from the truth. The fact is, the U.S. military can be located anywhere else in the Pacific or the United States and still be effective.
It would cost us, the taxpayer, a lot to relocate what is in Hawai'i. Additionally, the economic impact would be similar to what has occurred in the Philippines and on Guam. Filipinos and Guamanians don't come here because their economies are so great. Go to those places and see them first-hand.
The federal government spends more money in Hawai'i than we pay in federal taxes, mainly because of the military. No economist or financial planner would advise the state to put all of its income in a single economic endeavor, especially tourism, which could go sour in a heartbeat.
Many, if not most, of the high-tech companies in Hawai'i do business with the military. I would venture to say that the military provides more high-tech jobs in Hawai'i than any other industry. It provides thousands of medical, educational, computer-related and engineering jobs that require college degrees and technical diplomas. These people would be living elsewhere if the military were not here.
Also, military families and friends make up a good percentage of the repeat tourists in Hawai'i.
The education and training the military provides its employees is also invaluable.
R.A. Noguchi
Pearl City
Now let's address noise pollution
Items in the local press regarding recent and forthcoming improvements in the physical infrastructure in Waikiki are encouraging for those who would like to see this area improve and prosper. Many of these developments are from private initiatives, but improvements by local authorities, especially the improvements to Kuhio Beach, are also a positive factor.
However, if local authorities are really serious about improving Waikiki, they need to address problems other than physical renewal and beautification. One of these is noise pollution.
Not only locals, but tourists in general, recoil at the blast of sound from revved-up straight-pipe motorcycles, the roar of accelerating buses and the unwelcome over-amplification of music, both from local businesses trying to attract customers and boom-box cars. Some of these problems are not all that difficult to overcome.
A muffler law, strictly enforced, would easily alleviate one. In fact, if the political will is there, local authorities could quickly require rental agencies for scooters, motorcycles and cars to toe the noise-reduction line or be shut down.
Bus and trolley companies should be required to keep their vehicles in proper operating condition, which would mean quieter engines that burn their fuel more properly. Many of these vehicles now in operation are relatively quiet running, so why can't they all be like that?
As for over-amplified music, simply put a limit on an acceptable level of decibels within a fixed distance of any establishment.
Charles Pomeroy
Ka Iwi coast sale raises our alarm
After recent discussions with other alumni and beneficiaries of Kamehameha Schools, we collectively are very concerned about the great discrepancy in value of the Ka Iwi shoreline sale.
The lost profit from this sale is lost revenue for our perpetual trust — money that can never be retrieved. Our fears of further condemnations of more property are real — this transaction may be just the beginning of a pattern that the State of Hawai'i plans to execute to acquire Kamehameha Schools assets.
We who question this action are not doing it for the sake of rocking the boat; we are concerned about a slow chipping away of the trust's assets. Granted the downzoning reduced the value significantly, but as your July 16 article pointed out, other properties around the state owned by private developers have not faced the same demise (or loss in profit) or forced sale to the state as that of the Ka Iwi shoreline.
Most of us can accept the fact that conservation zoning for Ka Iwi is healthy for the shoreline, but giving so little money to make claim to it is a travesty. All land owners in this state should be concerned.
Pohai Ryan
Kamehameha Schools, Class of 1980
Cayetano disingenuous on age-of-consent bill
Gov. Cayetano says that "pure politics" motivated the overturn of his veto of the bill raising the age of consent from 14 to 16.
A much better example of pure politics would be his statement that "nothing is more important than the care of our children." That is a word-for-word quote from his State of the State address a year and a half ago. Since then, it has become evident that he didn't mean a word of it.
I started writing letters on this subject a full five years ago. Now, finally, the 14- and 15-year-olds of our state have a guardian angel to protect against sexual predators.
Stanley Philbrick
Kane'ohe
How can father help baby if he's in jail?
Dr. Donald Char writes that raising Hawai'i's age of consent is important to send a message to adolescents that they are not mature enough to engage in sexual intercourse.
As an M.D., he should be aware that sexual maturity in humans occurs at an earlier age than 16. It is part of the normal biological pattern of our species to begin reproduction in the early teens.
The moral and cultural objections raised by this issue can be better addressed without involving the criminal justice system. Char asked that males who father children by teenage girls be required to assume more responsibilities.
One would think that involved marriage and providing a home, or at least providing financial support. Yet the bill passed by our Legislature will throw this father in jail for most of the next 20 years. What sense does that make? Who will support the girl and her child then?
The bill was a bad piece of legislation. It seems clear from letters like Char's that many of its supporters have neither read it nor understand its implications.
Tracy A. Ryan
Young girls today can look much older
Today's kids aren't like what we were when we were 14. They are much more sophisticated than ever and look it as well.
Don't let the age difference fool you, or it could land you in jail as a child molester with this veto override. Check the latest Cosmopolitan magazine and see what 16-year-old girls can look like.
Gov. Cayetano's concern was that we as mature adults will see a 14-year-old as a mere child innocent as the day she was born, but to a 19-year-old, some tricked-out little girl only five years younger could look closer to his age than ever when you consider a 14-year-old girl matures quicker than males of the same age.
Craig Watanabe
Soccer tournaments were all but ignored
The 8th annual Hawai'i International Soccer Tournament concluded July 15 at the new Waipi'o Soccer Complex. The AYSO Rainbow Classic Tournament was held the week before and hosted several teams from the Mainland and Canada.
Some of the best soccer ever was played during the past two weeks. Kids from 8 to 19 years old played heart and soul to the cheers of their proud families and friends. The sad part of all this was that there was no mention of these events on the 6 p.m. or 10 p.m. TV sports news, at least not on Hawai'i's No. 1 news channel. I suspect the other channels were no different.
The only mention of the Rainbow Classic was that Henry Winkler was there watching his son play. Big deal. Hawai'i's kids put all they have into their games and do not deserve to be ignored. I keep hearing the media people preach "kids first." How about dedicating some time to telling the story about these young athletes who aren't paid big bucks, aren't arrogant and who play only for the love of the sport.
To Mayor Jeremy Harris: Thanks for that fabulous, world-class soccer park. You've shown where your priorities are, and I know a lot of parents will remember you at election time.
John H. Mayer
