Letters to the Editor
Dobelle endorsement of Hirono admirable
I congratulate Evan Dobelle for standing his ground in his personal endorsement of Mazie Hirono. Too many people today are becoming afraid to voice their own opinion.
What is more objectionable is the endorsing of a candidate by an entire union or newspaper. It implies that every single member of that organization will cast his or her vote for that candidate. Only the person in the polling booth knows whom they voted for, and rightfully so. More important, no one should feel obligated to vote for a candidate based on his organization's or employer's influence.
I wasn't always a Mazie supporter, but she became willing to listen and learn from those who lost to her in the primary. She also became more dedicated to making the kinds of changes being called for by the majority of the voters. She handled herself with grace, dignity and a sense of decorum, all qualities highly important to the office for which she was running.
So, Linda, instead of hanging up on Mr. Dobelle when he was trying to explain his position to you, you should have listened. You just might have learned something.
Nancy E. Talmadge-Cazinha
Kane'ohe
We need a woman to fill Patsy Mink seat
The Honorable Pasty T. Mink ethically and passionately served our nation and Hawai'i nei. Perhaps Hawai'i voters will further Congresswoman Mink's tradition and elect another woman to her seat in Congress.
Hawai'i stands at the forefront of so many human relations "firsts": healthcare, cross-cultural education and relationships, extending aloha to the world, first minority woman elected to the U.S. Congress, etc. Shall we go a step further and show the world that Hawai'i respects the feminine perspective in government enough to elect another female representative?
Lt. Gov. Mazie Hirono has served in the Hawai'i Legislature and she certainly understands government's need to provide for education, children, the elderly, prescription drugs, native rights, prisoners' rights, etc. If elected to fill the full term, she could initially opt to retain the current congressional staff to fill her in on the lay of the land and push forward Mrs. Mink's unfinished agenda items. Then, too, there's the rest of the Hawai'i delegation, Rep. Abercrombie, Sen. Akaka and Sen. Inouye, with whom she would confer.
We need a woman in Congress. Let's do this — please.
S. Young
New detention facility should be shelved
One of the most intriguing appeals of the Lingle-Aiona ticket in the recent election was that these two leaders represented complementary skills and experiences rather than the redundancy of the opposing alternative. If nothing else, the voters did signal their desire for a new beginning and a fresh approach to solving the problems that have been "irresolvable" for these past few decades.
It seems such a shame now that in the haste to conclude the negotiations for a new detention facility, there might be a commitment made before we can recruit the eminent and intimate familiarity and insight of James Aiona. Aiona really has an appreciation for how these detention facilities can be constructed to better serve the inmates — who I really believe want to succeed in society just like everybody else but up to now haven't been provided with viable alternatives and treatment.
So I think the request by the incoming administration that this decision be deferred until after the transition is effected is a wonderful idea. This area is critical to the future of Hawai'i in advancing a new beginning for the greater participation and success of all the people living here. For too long, there's been this tendency to relegate a portion of our society to the "hopeless" category and simply warehouse them for the majority of their lives.
We need treatment and rehabilitation programs as integral to the detention process. It is my understanding that this is the reason for the request to delay the decision at this time — before being committed to a facility and program without a comprehensive, insightful evaluation.
Let's get the new beginning off to the great start it deserves. I hear the transition process is going very well. Keep up the good work.
Mike Hu
Forget mass transit, stick with TheBus
Why do our mass-transit proposals seem overly complex and expensive when there is a solution called TheBus? We need a lot more buses that are deployed in a common-sense manner.
I would suggest a study of traffic flow, etc., but these studies go on forever, are costly and can't be found when the chips are down.
Buses are enormously flexible. They do not require special roadways or dedicated lanes. They provide good jobs for drivers and support personnel. If there were more buses, and if all bus stops had benches, shelter and parking, many people would use them.
Perhaps this is too simple or perhaps it is too profound.
David T. Webb
Mililani
There's a better way to solve nasty traffic
I applaud Governor-elect Linda Lingle's proposal to correct O'ahu's nasty traffic. However, I believe there is a better, more environmentally pleasing way.
Federal funds should be requested to build H-4, extending Fort Weaver Road town-bound through a tunnel under (or bridge over) Pearl Harbor to connect with Fox Avenue on Pearl Harbor/Hickam AFB. From there it could connect with H-1.
H-4 Wai'anae-bound could branch off Fort Weaver Road, across the former Barbers Point NAS, and connect with H-1. A quick look at the O'ahu map in the yellow pages will show the feasibility of this.
With construction of a few on- and off-ramps, Fort Weaver Road could easily become part of H-4. To get closer to town, it might be feasible to bring the freeway across the ocean, southwest of the airport reef runway or across Ke'ehi Lagoon.
Land acquisition would not be a problem, since the government already owns much of it. We need to think outside of the box.
Ray Graham
Waikiki
Homeless problem hasn't been addressed
Regarding the Nov. 6 letter on homelessness: They are not "homeless," they are "houseless." They create a home wherever they may be — be it a box, a tree, a bench, a dark corner for a place to sleep. So what can be done?
First, recognize the fact that it is a problem. It has been ignored — not addressed, not heard, not seen, not understood. We don't find out what led up to the point of someone losing everything that person had.
Is it because we as a people didn't see it as a priority on our "to do" list? Did we not create the ways and means to provide enough services to meet the need of these people? Is there, or was there ever, a collaborative effort of agencies — be they state, federal, nonprofit — to come together to change the way we see things?
There are answers and solutions to everything. I'm willing to assist in making a difference, but I can't do it alone.
For those of you out there who are helping, I say "mahalo" for your compassion and help. You make it easier for those in need.
Ann K. Au Hoon
Las Vegas doesn't provide good example
I lived in Honolulu from 1988 to 2002 and considered myself very lucky to have lived in such a beautiful place. I used to listen to the debates over legalizing gambling in Hawai'i and hoped it would not become legal. I felt the Islands would never be the same again.
I grew up near Atlantic City and saw the problems there. But since moving to Las Vegas this year, I can tell an even different story. The crimes from casinos everybody in Hawai'i is concerned about are trivial compared to what goes on here. I would like to to write about what really happens in a gaming town, but I am afraid I would end up in Lake Mead.
The one good thing about Las Vegas is the number of Hawai'i residents who have moved here. I have seen so many of my friends here that I only miss the beauty of the Islands. I hope Hawai'i stays just as I left it so I will have a place to go to relax and enjoy aloha.
Oscar Thomas
Las Vegas
Raiding special fund costing us money again
The Nov. 10 paper highlighted a problem that seems commonplace in state government. Once again Hawai'i will probably loose millions of dollars of federal monies because of years of "borrowing from Peter to pay Paul."
The use of specific funds for general purpose budgeting is deplorable and, as history is proving, very expensive in lost funding.
Where is our state government (executive, legislative and judicial branches) in condoning and allowing this abuse to occur and continue. Is there no accountability?
I would like to see a formal investigation and report made to the public of all the monies that have been funded for other than the projects or functional areas for which they have been collected. How long (obviously at least 10 years) has this been costing Hawai'i federal aid?
Kenneth John Barclay
Some UH fans have to leave stadium early
This is in response to Kelli Miura, who, in his Nov. 7 letter, sounded off on fans who leave before a UH football game is officially over and that more fans should come out and support the Warriors. I guess she is one of the fortunate ones whohas season ticket. There are some who support the team in various other ways.
Because some leave the game early doesn't mean they are rude. Maybe they are leaving early because of their means of transportation. If 25,000 fans were to leave the stadium all at once, imagine the problems it would cause to stadium officials and the HPD? They should be commended for a job well done for the security they provide for the fans and players as well.
I have attended every home game so far this season. I'm true till the end. Too bad there aren't more of us, Kelli. Let's make all the noise we can and raise the decibel level also while we cheer on our Warriors to victory. Go Warriors!
Rowena Lee
'Aiea
One height standard for waves makes sense
Some old "traditions" that later proved dangerous: smoking, not wearing seatbelts, cocaine, sun-bathing.
Having one height standard to measure waves makes sense. Saving even one life by changing how we talk about wave heights as information is enough justification to use it.
The old tradition, like the ones listed above, should go away because it just makes sense. I realize there is romance in the old ways, but let's err on the side of safety.
John Michael D.
Housing agency criticism not politically motivated
The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development's primary aim for the resources entrusted to the Housing and Community Development Corp. of Hawai'i is for them to be well-managed and wisely used. It is difficult to make an argument on the HCDCH's behalf when HUD finds instances of a contractor being paid $2,500 for a closet door that could easily have been purchased for $500.
The problems associated with the HCDCH date back to the mid-1990s. Repeated reviews by HUD, including those within the last three years, show serious problems persist.
HUD's latest review speaks for itself. Among the findings:
- Lack of documentation to support contract awards to issue competitive bidding.
- Costs for materials that run over 500 percent higher than market rates.
- Board and management not having knowledge of basic HUD program requirements.
These and other shortfalls simply cannot be ignored.
HCDCH is no different from any number of mismanaged agencies receiving federal funding. It is not unusual for my office, the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Public and Indian Housing, to be directly involved with housing authorities, especially when there are indications of serious mismanagement. Examples of this office's full engagement with such housing agencies include Detroit, New Orleans, San Francisco and Puerto Rico.
We welcome the interest by the state to assume control of HCDCH's federally assisted housing programs. In developing our memorandum of agreement with the state, this sentiment will be given close scrutiny.
This issue is not about politics. It is about opening the door of housing for the people who need it most. An agency that spends five times the price for a door is not opening doors of opportunity — it is closing them. We refuse to sit idly by and let this continue.
Michael Liu
Assistant secretary, Office of Public and Indian Housing, U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development
