Letters to the Editor

Third of all fish caught turned into fishmeal

Jan TenBruggencate did a pretty good job of outlining some of the major causes of the severe depletion of fish in the oceans of the world, although he failed to bring to light a very significant cause: One-third of all the fish caught in the world are turned into fishmeal and fed back to livestock — cows, chickens, pigs, turkeys, etc.

So, what do we do to stop the fish-depletion crisis? We must do a much better job of curbing all forms of water pollution. We must put an end to the reckless development of our coastlines. We must convince governments to stop subsidizing fishing operations. We must press governments, regulatory agencies and fishers to act with future generations in mind, rather than fighting with each other down to the last fish. And last, we must turn more to a plant-based diet.

If Americans halved their direct intake of seafood, 2 billion pounds of marine life would be spared each year. If we halved our indirect intake of seafood through the consumption of meat, chicken, pork and turkey, we would save billions of pounds more of marine life. Not only would this allow the oceans, rivers, streams, lakes and estuaries to begin the process of healing, but it would lessen our plague of obesity, cancer, heart disease, arthritis, kidney disease and many of the other degenerative diseases that we are faced with today.

Mayor Blaisdell began vision team-like program

In his defense of the Harris administration's Community Vision Program, Eric C. Crispin (July 13) writes: "To my knowledge, it is the first program in modern-day Hawai'i to make possible citizens' direct involvement in discussions pertaining to physical changes and improvements in their neighborhoods, regardless of whether or not they live, work or play in that particular area."

The Honolulu Model Cities Program, begun during the Mayor Neil Blaisdell administration and carried forward by Mayor Frank Fasi (who succeeded him), was such a program. It predominantly used federal funds to support demonstration programs in Kalihi and Palama, and communities on the Wai'anae Coast. Those programs that were successful were extended to other areas on O'ahu.

The demonstration program did not limit itself to physical changes and improvements, but addressed social and educational changes and improvements as well.

The Honolulu Model Cities Program had a sunset date. But its legacy is alive and well. A few examples are: neighborhood boards, satellite city halls, people's open markets, people's gardens, a restored OR&L Building, park land on the Wai'anae Coast.

The involvement of people in the Model Cities planning process resulted in some of the folks succeeding to important elective and appointive posts in our state and local governments.

Crispin's point was well made by the Model Cities Program: "When a government believes in its people, and empowers them to make decisions about their neighborhoods, they rise to the occasion in impressive and meaningful ways."

Windward's median strip is being ignored

So! Why is it that the Hawai'i Kai, Kahala and, in general, upper-class neighborhoods get the "beautification" treatment on their median strips and roads and mall areas and we in Kane'ohe, Kahalu'u and the Windward side are still looking at the hideous, cold concrete median strip we've passed daily on Kahekili Highway for several years now?

Tell me our concrete median strip nightmare will be magically transformed soon and we'll have lush, green plants to complement our lush, tropical Windward side of the island. Tourists pass the ugly concrete barrier on their way around the island daily, too, Jeremy. Come on, check it out.

Donald Topping was a voice for compassion

Hawai'i lost a good measure of compassion, wisdom and clear thinking with the recent passing of professor Donald Topping.

Don had 73 years jam-packed with useful accomplishments, and I regret I only knew him in his last decade. However, in those latter years, Don founded an organization, the Drug Policy Forum of Hawai'i, that will benefit us all for years to come.

As the director of an AIDS organization, I am profoundly grateful for Don's assertive leadership in the effort that led to the passage of a law that allows seriously ill people to use marijuana to ease their pain, nausea and other symptoms that do not respond to traditional medicine. Our Legislature demonstrated both courage and caring when it passed the medical marijuana law, but I think its action would have been delayed but for the always-well-informed and never-wavering encouragement of Don Topping.

Anyone who thinks that one person cannot make a difference need only examine the life of professor Don Topping. Even as he confronted his own mortality, he stood up for what he believed and for people who could not speak for themselves. We are all better for having had him among us and diminished by his death.

Take a grain of salt with commentary on France

I'm writing in response to Clyde McAvoy's July 11 Island Voices commentary "French — with grain of salt." I have recently returned from a semester-long study-abroad program in Paris where, along with a few other American students, I had the unusual opportunity to witness the events (or rounds of bickering) leading up to the war in Iraq "from the other side."

So it's easy to pick on the French, as Mr. McAvoy demonstrated in his commentary. However, let me answer a few of your questions, starting with cuisine. If you go to France to eat a two-pound steak for dinner, you're indeed out of luck. Try Texas. Why is perfume the province of the French? Let me ask you why Hawai'i, our home, is the province of the United States. As for baths, the French don't take them. Water is a bit more expensive than what you're used to paying for here; they usually prefer showers.

More importantly, however, why are the hostilities on both sides, French as well as American, taken out on the people of these countries? After all, it is not we who decide war and peace. Mr. Bush and Mr. Chirac both have their agendas regardless of what we think, so let's not be quick to judge an entire people based upon the politics of one man.

And, for future reference, "Ce n'exist pas" does not exist. It's "Ca n'existe pas."

'Welcome signs' are a waste of city money

I couldn't believe the city government would waste taxpayers' money on "welcome signs."

When I passed Waokanaka Street, I saw the project being done, but it made me wonder why the city is building signs when it could just paint a wooden sign. I know that might look a little old-fashioned, but it would save taxpayers' money.

Not even Kane'ohe has a sign, but it doesn't matter. All we want to do is save people money.

Millions of dollars are wasted on HVCB

Abolish the Hawai'i Visitors and Convention Bureau. The latest example is its unwise spending for KITV and Gov. Lingle's trip to Japan. The many millions of dollars each year for the HVCB is a total waste of state money.

Last year, Honolulu magazine reported that a retired dean of the UH travel program said that "we'd probably have the same numbers without spending a cent." Instead, our taxes paid $23 per Hawai'i visitor last year, while California spent three pennies per visitor. Let's try zero waste.

At this time of budget shortfalls and cuts in public services, it is madness to let the HVCB keep wasting our money. How many millions of dollars will we throw away on the HVCB this year? And next year? And after that?

Wie should concentrate on Hawai'i tournaments

With all the rush to get Michelle Wie to the top of the golf world, I think that a greater challenge has been overlooked. At this early stage, it would be more of an accomplishment if she would enter and try to capture all of the major tournaments in Hawai'i.

This could possibly be the first and only chance to see this happen by one so young and talented. Also, this challenge should be a gradual building-up program for a couple of years as she matures. Winning often will build up more confidence in preparing her for the tough Mainland tours.

To create just the kind of interest the younger ones need today to deter them from bad habits like drugs, alcohol, etc., each island should sponsor exhibitions, with Michelle Wie joining some of the top junior golfers for a fun day. Call it "Michelle Wie Day." We should not miss a chance like this — once-in-a-lifetime.

Protect the language

Regarding Emmett Cahill's July 16 letter "Grammatical error isn't necessarily bad": No? If The Advertiser doesn't teach young readers by example, who will? They already hear such atrocities as "For my wife and I"; "She is taller than him"; "He is older than her." "Me" is still a perfectly good word, when used correctly. I'm a retired newspaper copy editor.

HHSC provides critical services

Like many physicians, and particularly those practicing on the Neighbor Islands who are acquainted with the Hawaii Health Systems Corp., I would like to express my appreciation for the diligent efforts undertaken by the HHSC leadership. My comments also allude to Dr. Pradeepta Chowdhury's letter of July 7 ("Hawaii Health Systems needs to get act together").

First and foremost, HHSC is Hawai'i's safety-net hospital system. It was established to fill the promise that the state made in the early '70s — that is, to provide quality healthcare to communities throughout the state. HHSC consists of 12 facilities. A number of these are rural hospitals that are often the only source of emergency, acute and long-term healthcare for residents and visitors.

With 1,250 acute-care beds and 750 long-term-care beds, HHSC is the largest healthcare provider in the state. In fact, with 12 hospitals on five islands, HHSC is the fourth largest healthcare safety-net system in the United States. Please consider that HHSC hospitals are often the only source on the Neighbor Islands for:

• Childbirth and neonatal services.
• Diagnostic imaging, including MRI.
• Cardiology services, including echocardiology and angiography.
• Emergency surgical services.
• Cancer treatment, including chemotherapy and radiation therapy.
• Inpatient psychiatric services.
• Neurologic and neurosurgical services.
• Care for victims of catastrophe and violent crime.

Nearly 70,000 emergency patients are seen at Hilo, Maui, Kona and Kauai Veterans annually. In fact, Maui Memorial Medical Center has the second busiest emergency room in the state behind The Queen's Medical Center.

Our mission is complicated by under-reimbursement by Medicare, Medicaid and Quest, which approximates $35 million per year. Congress is currently planning to further reduce reimbursements. Unreimbursed care for patients approximated $14 million in 2002. A comparative analysis shows Honolulu County with 7 percent of its population uninsured while the figures on the Neighbor Islands range from 10 percent on Maui to over 15 percent on Kaua'i.

Our financial outlook is further compromised by a severe shortage of long-term-care beds on the Neighbor Islands. System-wide, patients waiting for transfer to long-term-care facilities occupy approximately 100 acute-care beds per day. These "wait-listed" patients account for $1,500 per bed per day in lost revenue. At Maui Memorial Medical Center alone, an estimated $10 million in revenue is lost annually from the shortage of long-term-care beds.

HHSC has done its part in these difficult financial times. With nearly $300 million in annual revenues, HHSC earns enough to cover approximately 90 percent of its operating expenses. In the first five years of its existence, HHSC has reduced losses by approximately $150 million.

I would urge readers to ask their legislators to continue funding HHSC. Our promise is that we will continue to provide quality healthcare to communities throughout Hawai'i.