Posted on: Sunday, July 7, 2002

Letters to the Editor

School voucher plan no panacea for Hawai'i

Here we go again, more of the same rhetoric, scare tactics and outrageous claims about how this will impact our "poorest families."

Well, how is the present educational system holding up in terms of supporting our "poorest families"? Is it providing the quality of education that will offer them opportunities for a brighter future? Are they entitled to the same degree of education as everyone else?

Of course they are, but what we are getting now is the poorest education that money can buy.

There will always be poor families; there will always be those who have more than others. That is not the point. Hawai'i's children deserve to have the best education, facilities and teachers that the millions of dollars coming out of taxpayer pockets can buy. By the way, where is that money being spent?

But without some impetus for the present system to improve, then all of us will continue to get less than what we pay for.

Our public school system is already decimated by virtue of the fact that our teachers are poorly compensated, our facilities are substandard and the public has no faith in the system. This issue has less to do with vouchers and our children and more to do with preserving the antiquated dinosaur of a failing system and its hierarchy.

Let's wake up and do something (even if it's not vouchers, our minds have to be open to every possibility) to force change or we will lose the most precious thing we have — our children our future.

Sandra Tsuruda

Waipahu Plantation in danger of closing

I have been an unpaid volunteer for the Waipahu Cultural Garden Park (Waipahu Plantation) for a year and a half. It has come to my attention that this cultural and learning center is in danger of closing permanently in the near future, due to financial difficulties.

The plantation tells the story of how our many different ethnic groups lived and toiled on the sugar plantations and the contributions made by these groups to our 50th state — a state of minorities, with no majority. There is no other museum in the state of Hawai'i like it. If it closes, the artifacts and stories of our ancestors will be lost forever.

Therefore, I am imploring the public, as well as private companies, to contribute to the plantation in order to keep it in operation. Volunteer docents are also needed. (My time at the plantation has been a rewarding experience, and I'm sure it will be for others.)

It would be a shame to see such a historical place, on par with Bishop Museum, close forever.

Jean Bona
Mililani

Dods' flame-out may be due to sale of bank

Super salesman Walter Dods' flip-flop on running for governor may be due to reasons other than the public's lack of appreciation for his Horatio Alger success story. Since the business of business is business, he may be unelectable for more substantial business reasons than his hurt feelings.

The first is that he sold out one of our capital-poor state's chief sources of capital when he engineered the sale of First Hawaiian Bank to Paribas, the large Banc National de Paris, in France. Although individual big investors may have gotten rich on the deal, investment ventures by what remains of First Hawaiian ultimately has to pass scrutiny by the steely-eyed gentlemen of the French connection.

If we want a capitalist financial system, then we should not sell our capital. And if Paribas does invest here, where does Mr. Dods think the profits will go?

The second substantive reason for voters' reluctance to accept Mr. Dods' candidacy is connected to the first: It is illegal in Hawai'i for a candidate for governor to accept money from foreign nationals. So Mr. Dods, ever the salesman, turns necessity into a virtue by saying that his "managers" will refrain from contributing PAC money to political campaigns. He should have added his own fizzled campaign.

And he should have added that Paribas, as the ultimate owner of First Hawaiian, will offer many opportunities for batteries of lawyers to argue gray areas of the law and further turn away the electorate. As Mr. Dods, ever the cheerleader, knows, what counts is perception. And who knows whether the Democrats, the Lingle-ites or those who need capital to start a business will be the harshest critics?

George Simson

Let people decide on smoke-free restaurant

A comment on the new smoke-free restaurant law: We would be better served if politicians got out of the business of restaurants and got into the business of doing what they are elected to do.

A better way to implement this would be to let the restaurants decide if they wish to go nonsmoking or not. If the city wanted to pass a meaningful law, it would have the restaurants post whether they are a smoking or nonsmoking restaurant. Let the people decide where they would like to eat.

If people do not want to go to a smoking establishment, they won't. If they don't care, they may. Let the people decide what they want, not a few lobbyists.

Bruce Kelly
Mililani

Sunset on the Beach a smashing success

Whoever came up with the idea of Sunset at the Beach deserves to be recognized.

Last week, my family, friends, community and whoever else was lucky enough to make it down there was treated to such a delightful "calabash of fun." Thank you, Mr. Mayor, and all the unsung heroes below you who brought it to our community and made this happen.

It took an enormous amount of manpower and organization to run such an event. But by just walking around the event, all your senses were stimulated. The eyes: seeing the beautiful town we live in and the familiar faces and happy faces we met and saw. The nose: from smelling "ono grinds." The mouth: for the taste of the delicious food made by our "local" chefs.

Then came the sound of giggles, laughter and conversation from old friends or new-found friends. But the feeling of relaxation, of comfort and security in our own community — everyone was one big happy 'ohana. Go North Shore!

Now, if all this can be felt in one place and one time, this is the start of many beautiful things.

M. Hartman
Sunset Beach

Why didn't Hawai'i's leaders take a stand?

I am disappointed that so few of Hawai'i's government leaders made public statements against the 9th Circuit Court's decision on the Pledge of Allegiance. I did not hear a peep out of Gov. Cayetano or Hawai'i's congressional delegation.

The only leader I did see on TV was Board of Education member Carol Gabbard, who rightfully said that Hawai'i should ignore this ridiculous court decision.

I am beginning to understand why Hawai'i has the lowest voter turnout in the nation. There is so much corruption in our political system and so few of our politicians are willing to put politics aside and take a stand for what's right.

I am probably not the only one who is convinced that the only thing of importance to the majority of our elected officials is to stay in power.

David Estrada
Kailua

Donated books could be sold for library

If so many Hawai'i residents are willing to donate used books to Kapolei Library, would it be possible for volunteers to collect those books and have a book sale fair?

All funds could be donated to the Kapolei Library fund.

I'm sure many residents from around the island would be willing to pitch in (not only residents of Kapolei).

Steven M. Nakamura
Kapolei