Letters to the Editor
State should have kept trees healthy
This is in response to the dying trees at Barbers Point. When the land was turned over to the state, the grass was green, trees flourished and all the surrounding areas were aesthetically pleasing. Since the turnover, the state has neglected the upkeep of the grounds and trees.
In its current state of deterioration, doesn't the state realize that it will require twice the effort to bring the grounds back to an acceptable level? If the state had only done its part in maintaining the grounds, at least once a week from day one, there would be a lot more "happy campers."
Stella M. Nadonga
'Ewa Beach
Homeless assistance programs being gutted
Over the past decade, the funding to the state's homeless assistance programs has been reduced by over $1 million as a result of a number of 10 percent "across the board" cuts like the one that our new governor has ordered.
The homeless assistance programs are part of the Housing & Community Development Corp. of Hawai'i, which is funded with federal funds and therefore cannot be touched by a governor's restrictions. The Homeless Assistance Branch programs are the only HCDCH programs that have "discretionary funds" and so are available to be cut.
When a governor decides to restrict a percentage of every state agency's funds, all of the restrictions that are made to HCDCH come out of the Homeless Assistance Branch. This is scraping the bottom of the barrel.
Lynn Maunakea
Executive director, Institute for Human Services
Parole violators deserve their fate
The editorials often take incendiary positions, but Jan. 12's comments on parole violators made me flip.
My basic understanding of criminal justice is this: A person violating parole has committed a crime. People who commit crimes have a "go directly to jail" card.
As a private citizen who does not like crimes to be committed against myself and others, I rather like the idea of 374 recidivists sleeping on the floor at Halawa rather than running around town racking up crimes. When someone has no issues with committing one crime, they'll have no problem with a second, third, fourth or fifth.
To compound things, by letting them run around loose, they'll get the feeling of invincibility: No one's going to bother them, so they can do whatever they want.
I wouldn't be surprised if some of those extra crimes were connected to those who run car-theft rings or traffic in crystal meth.
Lei Medeiros
Mililani
It's time to embrace transit alternatives
Cliff Slater implies in his Jan. 13 "pro-toll road commentary" that supporting toll roads doesn't automatically subject one to abuse any longer. Times haven't changed that much, Cliff.
Slater's vision of transportation policy for O'ahu goes strictly by the ABCs — Always By Car. Far from being an imaginative solution to traffic congestion on our space-constricted island, a toll road would be another private automobile-oriented "fix."
It's time to embrace transit alternatives for O'ahu residents and leave the toll roads to California, which has the population and space to make them work. Let Slater have his ABC preference, but the rest of us should choose modern rapid transit as the best transportation alternative for our island's future.
Doug Carlson
Volcano is a great natural incinerator
Hawai'i is unique — isolated from the Mainland and distant from other islands. We are blessed with a natural incinerator provided in the form of a volcano. Its heat is so great that anything it touches disintegrates.
I have wondered if our lawmakers really want to continue burying our trash instead of burning it with a low-cost means provided by mother nature. It's isolated from populated areas, and even if the VOG comes up the island chain, nothing can stop it. So why is it so hard for them to use this means of solving our trash problem?
Maybe your readers might get to see how simple it is and pass it on to our government officials.
Earl Tanioka
Independent traveler welcome on Moloka'i
The crowds, the noise and traffic congestion on Maui are bringing the independent traveler to Moloka'i. Our island is unique because the beauty of the island is not covered with homes up to the mountaintops and strip malls.
We welcome the independent traveler, not the cattle call of the cruise ships.
Julie Lopez
Kualapu'u, Moloka'i
Nurses' strike is about safety, overtime
Will someone please give an accurate reporting on the issues of the nurses' strike?
Every day in the news, the information given is about our salaries. From the beginning of the strike, the salary increases have been accepted by the nurses. In the tentative agreement, we got no more, no less than The Queen's Medical Center offered in the first place. The center can give these increases with the acceptance of the paid-time-off (PTO) package and not suffer increased labor costs.
I believe we, the nurses, are being blamed for the rising cost of healthcare. This is simply not the truth. This strike was about the PTO package, mandatory overtime, safe staffing levels and saving our much-earned retirement package.
Kerry Porter, R.N.
Kane'ohe
Time for legislators to get off the fence
I found the Jan. 12 survey, "Where legislators stand on the issues," to be very informative. A quick glance gave a good indication of which party is willing to take a stand, right or wrong, and which isn't.
I decided to do further research of the "leadership" for the legislators. A general overview showed that they preferred not to take a stand on most of the issues because "they needed to hear public testimony and review the specifics." Sounds like political rhetoric to me.
I was equally disappointed to see the representative and senator for my district were among the "Undecided" group.
I thought these politicians spoke to their constituents about the issues during their campaign. How many more meetings and "public testimony" do you need before you can take a public stand on the important issues facing Hawai'i? What are you afraid of? Re-election?
This state is in trouble, and we need leaders who are willing to stick their necks out and express ideas and options. Either lead or get out of the way so those who are willing can continue to grow Hawai'i into an economically prosperous state.
J.J. Johnson
Sustainability? Think digital
On a slightly rainy Saturday morning, I found myself rushing on an empty highway to attend a Sustainability Workshop being held by the governor, the mayor and the president of UH. Like hundreds of other hopeful citizens, I wanted to find out about upcoming events affecting our Island paradise.
I thought about campaign promises, as I read over the literature on my seat. The blessing by Kahu John Lake was mesmerizing. Gary Okino had me in anticipation. Noel Brown received nods of agreement. The mayor got many a chuckle. And the governor was applauded repeatedly.
However, it was at the moment the president of the Friends of the United Nations asked the audience to submit questions that I had an epiphany. "Communication."
I was so excited I almost raised my hand to exclaim, "I have a great idea!"
As the governor commented about community roles in state planning, I thought about what I could do to help. I wrote down five suggestions for the economy and three for education on the card provided.
- Enhance Hawai'i's overall global image.
- Upgrade the level of technology being used statewide.
- Create alternative higher-paying jobs.
- Integrate all communications.
- Streamline government operations.
- Promote higher learning.
- Increase educational spending.
- Add high-technology positions to the curriculum.
I believe digital communications can provide many solutions and be a valuable industry for Hawai'i. It doesn't harm the land. It creates new jobs. It is what our children's children look forward to.
The theme of the workshop was sustainability, with the key question in everyone's mind being "ability." Do we have the ability to provide a stable or more prosperous environment for the future?
In a digital world, any island can literally be Fantasy Island. So why can't Hawai'i's remote location be thought of as "The Location for Remote People"?
If our tourist-based economy can share the gift of aloha through remote digital services, then maybe my children will never need to move away in search of work. Maybe they could create a business for themselves, here at home — or from a sailing yacht generously donated by the Sea Education Association.
In a digital world, anything is possible.
Rex Regal
Planes continue to fly over urban Honolulu
At our meeting with the FAA and congressional staff on Jan. 8, FAA air traffic manager Robert Rabideau informed us and state DOT airport representatives that his priority is "economic efficiency." That is, the savings of time and fuel by allowing commercial aircraft to take shorter flight paths to and from the runway.
At the same meeting, Rabideau stated that "It will take an act of Congress" to change the FAA's current practices in Honolulu.
Last Dec. 30, at 7:04 p.m. on a Sunday night, another "China Airlines-like" incident occurred over Waikiki, rattling rooftops. The next day, the state DOT airports administrator tracked down the flight record of this aircraft, which was an off-course jumbo jet at 1,700 feet, released by the flight controller onto visual approach two miles prematurely. (It was supposed to be at 3,000 feet, and the flight control tower supervisor had claimed it was one-half to one mile offshore.) A few days later, we were informed that the pilot had been reprimanded and the responsible flight controller had been removed from the airport control tower flight deck.
Two days after the China Airlines incident, the FAA issued instructions and provided flight controller briefings, after urban panic, to now ensure that flights approaching from the east, only during kona winds, would be restricted to flying over the water. This "ban" apparently does not apply to the more frequent departures that also cut across Kapi'olani Park and Diamond Head crater during tradewind conditions.
One day last week, between 5:15 and 6:30 p.m., arriving flights were still hugging the shoreline and inland over the park, pocketing the stench of jet fuel exhaust between Kalakaua high-rises and the Outrigger Canoe and Elks clubs. A little after 10 p.m., a new "quiet" widebody aircraft was observed on approach over the Ala Wai Golf Course. Apparently the FAA's banning of inland arrivals hadn't registered.
Today is Friday, and again approaching aircraft are hugging the shoreline. We're just thankful they are not cutting across the park.
The New York crash of American Airlines Flight 587 on Nov. 12, 2001, due to mechanical failure, is a clear example of the safety concern of aircraft flights, both arriving and departing, being allowed over urban Honolulu unnecessarily.
Michelle Spalding Matson
Member, Residents Against Aircraft Noise
