Editorial
Private harbor plan should be quickly iced

If they have any sense at all, Hawai'i lawmakers will quickly shelve a proposal that would clear the way for a private operator to take over the Ala Wai Yacht Harbor and the harbor at Honokohau.

Even if it made sense to convert Ala Wai to a private marina, this is not the way to do it. The resolution that would allow the state to privatize the two harbors was pushed through without public hearing or comment in the House.

House Speaker Calvin Say justified the House action by saying the issue is an emergency, related to the current economic crisis.

"The crisis is that the individual private developers wanted to consider going ahead," Say was quoted as saying.

Astounding.

This is plainly and simply not the way to do business.

Long range, there is room for debate about putting management or operation of the Ala Wai into private hands. But it is no simple matter.

Policy-makers must be clear about what they are doing and who they are helping with such a drastic change.

The Ala Wai Yacht Harbor operates today as a public recreational facility. Slip fees are reasonable and allow residents and visitors to enjoy ocean recreation from a world-class site at the edge of Waikiki.

While there is some room for increases in slip fees, any substantial increase would drive out some of the less affluent boaters. They would be replaced by those who could afford higher rents, but in return would demand higher quality amenities such as reserved parking, quality shore-side facilities and the like.

In effect, the process would convert a relatively low-key, public facility into an upscale private marina. That would produce more income for the state, but is it what we want?

If a policy decision is made to keep the Ala Wai affordable (which means a relatively low level of shoreside amenities), then what are the advantages of placing management in private hands?

These are the questions that must be soundly and thoroughly debated in public before any change is made.