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The Honolulu Advertiser
Posted on: Wednesday, April 2, 2003

Business briefs

Advertiser Staff

DFS lays off 25 workers

DFS Hawai'i has eliminated 25 employees and reduced the hours on hundreds of others, DFS Group LP Vice President Sharon Weiner announced at a House Finance Committee yesterday.

Weiner blamed the reduction on a steep decline in sales following the outbreak of the war on Iraq. She estimated April sales will be down 50 percent from pre-9/11 levels.

DFS employs about 1,200 people, although many are part-time. The cuts amount to a 9 percent reduction based on head count or a 20 percent reduction based on full-time equivalent jobs, Weiner said.

The state this week announced it had filed suit against DFS in an attempt to obtain $49 million in back rent.

The Finance Committee is considering a bill that would give DFS and other concessionaires breaks on their state airport space rents.



Lingle intends to visit Japan

Gov. Linda Lingle told House lawmakers yesterday that she intends to visit Japan to encourage people there to continue coming to Hawai'i, although her timetable for doing so remains unclear.

"She agrees in concept that sending a delegation to Japan is a good idea," said House Vice Speaker Sylvia Luke, chairwoman of the House Select Committee on War Preparedness yesterday. "What we need to do right now is to work out the details and figure out who should go, the timing of it, when it is appropriate."

Business leaders and entertainers popular with Japanese visitors may also go along on the trip. The Hawai'i Tourism Authority would pay for the visit, Luke said.

"She did say that when the timing was right, she would go," Lingle spokesman Russell Pang said. "But she still thinks it's premature at this time."