Posted on: Friday, January 3, 2003
Letters to the Editor
Nursing strike issue isn't worth the damage
I am one of the striking nurses at The Queen's Medical Center who voted not to strike. I am not alone.
To my fellow nurses at Queen's, I ask this question: "Would we be on strike because of concerns regarding short staffing, mandatory overtime and patient safety if Queen's had not made a paid-time-off package part of its proposal?"
I believe the answer is no. We would be working with Queen's to try to address these issues in a professional manner. Something worth thinking about.
As nurses, our primary concern is the care of our patients. I admit that caring for patients at Queen's is more difficult as workloads increase and cutbacks become more commonplace. The refrain seems to be "do more with less." Workloads will continue to increase as the nursing shortage becomes more acute.
Nurses are going to have to become more creative in the delivery of the care that patients need and deserve. Healthcare in the years ahead will become more difficult and challenging for both hospitals and nursing.
Can we not come together and settle this strike? What is more important: taking care of patients, or fighting to make sure we do not have to dip into vacation hours before we can access sick time?
No one wins in a strike, not the patients, the hospital or the nurses. Let's get back to what we do best: caring for patients, not walking the picket line. Sheila Pagliaro, R.N.
BRT is the solution to traffic congestion
Everyone has been writing about the Bus Rapid Transit project. People argue we should be looking at new roads and rail. But the reality is that across the nation, communities have been voting for BRT as their traffic-congestion solution.
Congress will increase non-rail transit spending and reduce highway spending. We can't continue to develop communities that are transit-unfriendly, encourage congestion and lower our quality of life. Communities are using transit to reduce congestion, for economic development, for improving the environment, as well as a method to improve quality of life.
Developers can plan transit-friendly mixed-use communities that offer home-buying opportunities for low- and middle-income families — mixed uses that encourage development of small business. By using transit, residents can save more income, money that can be invested in banks or small business.
BRT has the flexibility to meet our needs now and in the future. When those needs change, a BRT system can change with them, decreasing the burden on the taxpayers and government. Fixed-rail and new roads will only be a burden to the taxpayers ... and not solve traffic congestion, but only increase it.
Guillerm Colon
Special-ed teacher wants to teach again
According to a Dec. 27 editorial, Hawai'i has a shortage of special-education teachers and must recruit from the Mainland. I am at present an unemployed special-education teacher.
I have 65 credits in general and special-education courses from the University of Hawai'i and Chaminade University. I completed the RISE program and taught special education in public schools in Hawai'i for three and a half years and general education in the private and public sector for nine years.
I have been unable to pass one test of the PRAXIS, which is required to be a teacher. I am unable to pass the math portion as I have been diagnosed with a mathematic disability. I have sought accommodations and have been denied. I have searched for help with the DOE, HSTA and Educational Testing Service.
No one is interested in helping me. One department sends me to the other and they send me elsewhere. The people I have talked to have been condescending, rude and plain disinterested.
I have lived in Hawai'i since 1971 and graduated from a public high school. I am raising a family and have no intentions of leaving Hawai'i. This is not the case with the teachers recruited from the Mainland.
In the three years I taught special education, I was next door to teachers from the Mainland. They had no idea how to run an Individualized Education Program meeting, initial lines of inquiries, behavior modification contracts or how to access and utilize the computerized information management system. I taught them. I did their work for them. Six out of seven of those left after one year in our state.
Why will no one take the time and concern to help get me back into my classroom?
L.F. Jones
City Council's 'legacy' was already tainted
Just wanted to point out a glaring error in a recent headline, "Convictions may taint City Council's legacy."
Obviously, it should have read "Convictions have tainted City Council's legacy." Who on earth is your proofreader over there, Rip Van Winkle?
Liz Cotton
'Habitat modification' used to control frogs
Regarding Fernando De Hoyos' Dec. 29 letter: The project at Lava Tree Park is a multi-agency effort to demonstrate how Big Island residents can use "habitat modification" to control the coqui frog if they are annoyed by its singing.
With the help of HCCC inmates, we are trying to replace the weedy understory of non-native plants with native vegetation that is not attractive to frogs.
We are not eradicating the frog or defoliating the park. We destroy weeds and remove non-native tropical plants that frogs like to breed in, spray the ground with citric acid to prevent frogs from leaving the area, mulch the debris, and return it to the ground to retard weed growth.
We seek help from local community associations to help landscape and maintain the park so all can enjoy its beauty. Some feel that removal of the understory will help reduce crime by providing a clear view of the parking lot from within the park.
While the project was never a secret, we have been pleasantly surprised at what can be accomplished when government (federal, state and county) pools its resources to address a problem.
Larry Nakahara
Why can't we get our energy act together?
A recent AP dispatch stated that use of renewable energy took a big fall in 2001 and only 6 percent of the nation's energy in 2001 came from renewable sources.
Another news report headline was "Wind turbines are sprouting off Europe's shores," with Denmark using wind turbines to produce 18 percent of its electricity. Hawai'i imports all its oil for electricity, and with tradewinds all year, this technology would be ideal for our state.
Can anyone answer these questions?
• Why is Europe leading the U.S. in wind turbine technology?
• How many offshore wind turbines does the U.S. have or plan to have?
• Why can't U.S. car manufacturers use the "clean gas-saving" technology of hybrid gas/electric models for their new cars?
• What can be done to expand hybrid gas/electric technology worldwide?
• Can the new $2,000 tax rebate for hybrid gas/electric car buyers be increased?
• Why can't the federal government offer a $4,500 tax credit to any consumer who installs solar water panels by a certified manufacturer?
• Why can't Hawai'i's successful solar program be expanded nationwide?
To quote Robert Redford, "From the moment (President) Bush stepped into office, he's been leading disciplined campaigns to destroy, dismantle, unravel and undo 30 years of environmental regulations development." Why? This answer is easy: Everyone knows that Bush and Dick Cheney are oilmen with no interest in helping the environment.
Tom Sebas
Biotech research is well-monitored
It's not surprising that Eleanore Olsen, as expressed in her Dec. 23 letter, is concerned about biotechnology research given a disproportionate share of media attention for recent minor permit violations, for which two companies were sanctioned by the EPA.
However, media coverage also has shown that government is doing well in monitoring local biotechnology research. Your readers should know that researchers, whether in the private or public sector, strive not to allow genetic material to escape into the environment — for environmental, proprietary or intellectual reasons.
All sorts of businesses legitimately carry on proprietary research out of public sight to protect their interests. Because of the real threats of domestic terrorism, public- and private-sector scientists naturally want to protect specific research locations.
Some among the public don't want research materials on their property. The government permit and enforcement processes, as well as the diligence of researchers themselves, serve to prevent this from occurring. One advantage of crops currently researched in Hawai'i by the private sector is that they have no relatives in our local environment to cross-pollinate.
Last, no private-sector biotechnology research in Hawai'i involves human genes that we are aware of.
Rick Klemm
Let's wait to see what Lingle accomplishes
I remember the picture of former Gov. Cayetano, Sen. Akaka, Rep. Abercrombie, et al., during the new governor's speech. They all looked like a bunch of kids who had their bikes taken away from them.
Let's see. For 40 years this state has been controlled and run by the Democrats. What have we all gotten for it?
• Schools with no money.
• A former governor with the attitude "So, Brah, let them strike; we save $29 million." No money to pay teacher bonuses. Hmm ... where did that $29 million go?
• Teachers who buy computers out of their own pockets for their students.
• UH leaving obsolete computers on the lanai at Sinclair Library where they were destroyed by the weather. How come they were not sent to the schools?
• Politicians being convicted and going to prison. Finally some justice.
• Continued waste of tax money for unneeded projects. How about that $1 million for trees for Hawai'i Kai? Hey, we gotta spend the money before we lose it, Mr. Lee states.
I can go on, 40 more years.
Gov. Linda Lingle has four years. I'll wait and see what happens in those four years ... not the last few weeks.
Daniel Munn
Stop holding onto lands
I am so tired of hearing of the self-serving justification of the Kamehameha Schools trust for holding onto its lands, such as the seven acres under the Kahala Beach condominium that is yielding only a 6 percent return on investment when this capital should be earning at least 10 percent per annum for the beneficiaries.
Jerol N. Hanson
Without salary parity, there can be no honor
Michael Young in his Dec. 30 letter stated that "Former HPD officers knew exactly how much money they would be getting paid when they joined the department." He further said that "Officers who deserted HPD for money reasons are less than honorable."
How unfortunate that a former officer has such a narrow opinion when our officers are forced to make the difficult decision to relocate to the Pacific Northwest. These seasoned officers are making that choice so they can better provide for their families. When I joined the department 18 years ago, I, too, knew exactly how much I would be paid, and you can bet your sweet 'okole that I knew I would never be rich. However, I did expect to make a decent living in parity with my Mainland counterparts so that I would not be forced to make a decision to leave. I did expect to earn a just and decent wage for the many years of serving my community, without having to work special duty on my days off. What Young clearly forgot to mention was that in order for officers to make a decent living, they have to sacrifice their days off and valuable family time in order to work a second job to pay the bills. Should our officers have to do this? Unfortunately, they have no choice, because our salaries have fallen so far behind other metropolitan police departments. Unfortunately, our department does not have any incentives by way of compensation to help officers so they don't have to work the blood money jobs at construction sites on their days off.
So when officers are forced to leave for higher-paying departments to make a decent living for their families, it is not only courageous, it is the most honorable thing a person can do for his family.
In my opinion as a current HPD officer, the lack of a substantial pay raise by the City and County, for every officer who places his life on the line each and every day, is what I believe to be less than honorable. Sgt. Stanley Garcia
Mililani
Waipahu
Sierra Club member
Executive director, HARTS Hawai'i
