Posted on: Tuesday, June 17, 2003

EDITORIAL
Hawai'i is a good choice for convention

While officials are citing costs and travel times, we'd be willing to bet there's another reason why there's an effort afoot to cancel a major convention of Defense Department financial managers scheduled for Honolulu in late May 2004. And that's because Hawai'i continues to have the reputation of being just too darn much fun to visit.

We have lost conventions and business meetings in the past because those in charge felt they could not afford to meet in a glamorous resort.

And glamorous we are. But our new Convention Center as well as a growing pool of expertise in handling and servicing business meetings make us an ideal place to handle serious work as well.

Undersecretary of Defense Dov Zakheim recommended that the 4,000-strong convention of the American Society of Military Comptrollers be shifted to somewhere on the continental United States. He cited reasons of economy and shorter travel times.

Washington, D.C., was one suggested alternative.

The economy argument is weak, since Hawai'i won the convention through competitive bidding. Our price was right. And as for travel times, yes, a Washington convention would be closer for folks from the Pentagon, but for those who work out West, Hawai'i is equally close.

Hawai'i's congressional delegation is trying to get this decision reversed. It should. It doesn't make a lot of sense in this particular case, and it would set a bad precedent for future federal meetings.