Posted on: Monday, April 21, 2003

ISLAND VOICES
Cannon Club site perfect for program

By Michael Greenoughat

In a March 28 letter ("Former Cannon Club isn't meeting potential"), the writer laments the "sheer lunacy" of using the Cannon Club property and other areas being considered for more higher-education facilities. One cannot help but be offended by his elitist attitude.

Students at Kapi'olani Community College, particularly in the culinary arts program, are some of the most driven, hardworking and self-motivated individuals I have had the privilege of knowing.

The writer expounds on how our public university system has denied the privileged few, who can afford to live in luxury developments, from further access to the beautiful views of Waikiki and Kaka'ako. The writer suggests that more upscale restaurants and luxury townhomes are the answer for lowering our tax burdens.

He also suggests percentage lease rents for such businesses. Does he mean like the deal that DFS has going at the airport — where it is in arrears for millions and millions of owed rent? This is exactly what the taxpayers and our fragile economy do not need right now.

The assessed value of the Cannon Club site doesn't really matter when it comes to providing educational outlets for our citizens. The writer's statement that "Culinary students certainly don't need a classroom building on land worth many millions of bucks" is so absurd as to almost be comical if this weren't such an important issue for our future. Pretty much every parcel of that size on O'ahu is worth millions of dollars.

When will people stop placing big-business interests and political backroom deals ahead of education in this state? Private schools such as Punahou, Saint Louis and Kamehameha have fabulous campuses with spectacular views. Why should our public educational institutions be denied these same privileges when the opportunity arises, such as is the case with the Cannon Club property?

As for bonding or insuring our "government officials with critical decision-making," they are already bonded or insured against "the peril of lunacy" by the mere fact that the voters put them in office.

Maybe it is the citizens who should be "bonded or insured against the perils of lunacy" by those who profit by the continual repression of public education.

Michael Greenoughat attended the Kapi'olani Community College culinary arts program.