Letters to the Editor

Pioneer Hi-Bred takes its work seriously

Pioneer Hi-Bred International has more than 75 years experience in responsible plant research. We were the first company to commercialize hybrid seed corn and are now utilizing biotechnology to introduce more product choices and bring greater value to the world's farmers.

Pioneer strives to ensure biotechnology is used to meet consumer needs and ensure a safe, nutritious and abundant food supply. We take our work seriously and conscientiously. We know our business positively impacts the farmer in the field — as well as the Hawai'i economy and the global food chain.

I'd like to clear up some misinformation about Pioneer's work in Hawai'i. Pioneer does not develop plant-made products solely for pharmaceutical or industrial uses, nor do we have any plans to develop them at this time.

And we are not conducting research using human genes.

For more than 30 years, we've been proud to be a part of the Hawai'i business community. We appreciate the recent public interest in biotechnology and in the work we do in this state. For those interested in learning more about biotechnology, we suggest accessing www.whybiotech.com or www.bio.org. And for more information about Pioneer, please visit www.pioneer.com.

Hunakai Street tree median project cost less

The Hunakai Street tree median project did not cost the taxpayers $800,000, as Charles Woods notes in his Sept. 10 letter.

Unfortunately, Woods based his letter on incorrect information. The Advertiser reporter who wrote the article on the vision project did not check her facts and used an outdated cost estimate that included $500,000 for the relocation of a sewer line.

The sewer line did not need relocating so the landscaped medial cost way less than reported.

When I saw the error, I immediately called the reporter. In fact, I told her that such an error would no doubt result in a letter to the editor from someone complaining about the cost. Sadly, that has now happened.

Bus drivers should be grateful for work

I am a pastry chef with 20 years of experience. I have a college degree and a pastry degree. What I do is creative and demanding — plus I stand on my feet all day long.

Bus drivers are paid more than I am (along with very hard-working teachers and police officers). I think that some people should feel lucky that they have a job.

The bus does not make any money. Does being part of a union mean that you will always have a job? The rest of us don't know if next month we will have a job. The entire economy is in a mess. Should bus drivers be paid what college professors are being paid?

I polled everyone at work; the consensus was "fire them."

Blame Mayor Harris for stalled bus talks

If there is one person most responsible for the lack of progress in the bus strike talks, it is Mayor Harris. It isÊhis obdurate, inflexible stand against any kind of salary increase that is making it impossible for either side to move.

The process is called collective bargaining, and whenÊmanagement says before the talks ever start that it is unwilling to bargain, how can the process go forward?

Mayor Harris' rigidity makes OTS appear hapless and inept; and it makes it impossible for the union to do anything but stay on strike or completely eat crow.

I wonder, is that what the mayor wants? To humiliate the union? If so, then I don't know what wing of the Democratic Party he represents, but it isn't Democratic. Democrats do not bust unions.

Kahele's message clear

So Helen Varner, dean of HPU's College of Communication, doesn't think Mel Kahele has done a good job of communicating his union's message to the public "in a clear, consistent manner" ("Pressure mounts on bus union," Sept. 7). Au contraire! Kahele has done an excellent job of communicating his and his union's greed and complete disregard for the general public.

Singers should not be center of attention

When "The Star-Spangled Banner" is sung at the beginning of athletic events, it's always nice when our national anthem is sung as intended by its composer, without all the unnecessary eccentric vocal gyrations that we have heard lately.

Those given the special honor and privilege of singing the anthem are not there to be the center of attention or to perform or entertain us, but rather to lead us in a patriotic, time-honored ceremony in which the center of attention is our homeland.