Letters to the Editor

Import service dogs for the war on ice

The state and counties in Hawai'i should consider the use of service dogs in fighting the war on ice. It has been reported that much of this insidious drug is entering our state through California and Mexico.

Each airport in the state should be equipped with canine units trained to identify packages containing ice. The change in our quarantine law should make this expenditure and investment a no-brainer.

Every kama'aina needs to stand up

As a graduate of the Kamehameha Schools, I am grateful to have been among the thousands who benefited from the vision and wisdom of Ke Ali'i Pauahi. Naturally, I am deeply disturbed, like so many other Hawaiians — and non-Hawaiians — by the recent challenges to the school's admissions policy.

On a different level, are these external threats the beginning of the end to our local lifestyle and values? While Hawai'i isn't perfect, it's the place many of us know and love. It is our home, and we choose to be here. Obviously, many malihini agree.

The challenges to Hawaiian benefits, whether it's the admissions policy at Kamehameha or OHA programs, is disturbing not just because Hawaiians risk being shafted all over again. But as a community whose identity has been defined by a rich history of multiple ethnic races and cultures, we have to ask whether we are also in danger of losing those unique qualities that distinguish us from Anywhere U.S.A.

Selfishly, I want the best of both worlds, but if being more like the Mainland is a choice, then every kama'aina needs to stand up now and just say no.

We need a decision on 'Hawaiians only'

So now it's another delay — four months — for the Arakaki case. Plaintiff's attorney Bill Burgess and his clients are understandably frustrated. Mr. Burgess told Judge Mollway, "Justice delayed is justice denied," and he's right.

But this is a very important case for everybody. Justice delayed is justice denied for the rest of us, too. The basic decision has already been made: Rice v. Cayetano told us beyond any doubt that the classifications "Hawaiian" and "native Hawaiian," which separate those who get millions of dollars in public land and money from those who do not, are "racial." It takes only a little research to see that this discrimination is legally indefensible, and only a little thought to know that it is morally and politically wrong.

Yet many disagree. The flow of public resources through OHA and other Hawaiians-only programs continues. Untold sums are pouring into the pockets of lawyers and lobbyists while Hawai'i's schools and other public needs go begging. If Hawaiians-only programs are unconstitutional, we all need to know that — without delay. If they're legal, we need to know that, too — without delay.

Urgent cases can be expedited without unfairness. The citizens of Hawai'i need and deserve closure. Let's get on with it.

Recycling program must be taken seriously

So again we have another attempt at curbside recycling by our so-called city environmental squad. I commend the effort but am once again disappointed by the lack of passion and proper planning that goes into these invaluable projects.

First, is anyone aware that there has been an A-plus curbside recycling program offered by Oahu Community Recycling for the past three years? I see no mention of these passionate, grass-roots guys.

Second, why in the world would city spokeswoman Carol Costa say "people who choose not to participate can continue to mix their trash and recyclables" when the goal is to promote the participation of this program? That's a ridiculous thing to say at such an important environmental crossroads.

And third, although I could probably go on and on, what's with the big secret Mayor Harris will disclose midway though the four-month program? Curbside recycling isn't new, there is no secret, it's been around for over 20 years, and our heads of state act as if we're embarking on a maiden voyage for mankind.

Open your eyes, look what's happening around you and use your power to be resourceful, not ignorant. Please take this curbside proposal to heart for the people and land of Hawai'i.

It's archaic but it's still the law of the land

Regarding the Hokuli'a project at Kealakekua: So the state Land Use Commission dragon has turned around and bit the developers and the Hawai'i County agencies in the behind. Good!

It is inconceivable that the developers of this project thought they had devised and sold a plan to bypass the commission in urbanizing agricultural land. The commission is still the law of the land, despite the fact that it is just another archaic turnstile in the land-planning approval process. A turnstile that leads to expensive and time-consuming delays — one that opens the door to corruption.

The whole process of the commission should be laid open for review by the Legislature and everyone concerned — one that would allow for change or, the most logical of all, abandonment. The commission has outlived its usefulness. Get it off the books, for until then, it is still the law and must be followed.

Hokuli'a developer got what was coming

I write to comment on the recent decision by Judge Ibarra on the island of Hawai'i, halting the massive Hokuli'a luxury development at Kealakekua.

I am a resident of Kihei in south Maui. I know only too well what it's like to see your view of the shoreline and the ocean, all along the thoroughfares on the shore, permanently closed off by sprawling, unplanned development.

This is a situation where the developer acted in violation of the laws designed to protect the shoreline, all over the state. It should not concern those sworn to uphold the law that the investor had gone ahead, without a clear comprehension of the limits of the law, and invested in the site.

If I acted without advice of competent counsel, I would expect no less than what this developer got. That is not "anti-development," it's preservation of public right against private encroachment.

My understanding is that this development had been riddled with controversy — extensive muddy runoff, disturbed burial sites and more.

The land-use law that was violated in this case is designed to protect our cultural and natural resources from this kind of development — upscale, private use of that which should be designated part of the public trust.

As we lose our natural, unspoiled, beautiful coastlines, island by island, I want to cheer on those who are taking the immense time and effort to try to preserve what's left of these irreplaceable resources.

Don't put the blame on Harris for strike

In his Sept. 13 letter, Theodore Riese blames the lack of progress in the bus strike on Mayor Harris. Is this the same Mayor Harris who was driving the city vans?

I saw Harris on television expressing reluctance on excessive fare raises because the riders cannot afford them. If the city officials say they don't have the money budgeted for pay raises, that does not mean Mayor Harris is out to humiliate the union. Nor is it fair to proclaim that the Democratic Party will always and without examination support unions.

This strike has emulated a mafia shakedown. No amount of propaganda or blame is going to change that. The hardball tactics and not scheduling negotiations every day say more about the union.

I remember a time when unions acted in the best interest of those concerned. Ultimately this mess is going to hurt the bus drivers as much as it is hurting senior citizens now.

Online UH procurement process saves us money

Regarding Kainoa Daines' Sept. 14 letter: The University of Hawai'i has obtained significant savings on its purchases using an online procurement process as compared to our prior reliance on verbal or written quotations from selected vendors and state price lists.

The online posting of our purchasing needs increases competition by ensuring that all interested vendors have access to these sales opportunities. Our new system also provides significant operating efficiencies. We are now able to conduct purchasing in a completely paperless manner without any of the duplicate data entry and redundant steps that characterize prior approaches. Industry estimates are that this can save hundreds of dollars in administrative costs per simple transaction.

However, it is unreasonable to expect the university to implement such an online purchasing system without any outlay of funds or resources.

There are many ways to pay for such systems, and the university carefully examined all the e-commerce models before moving forward with the "self-funded" approach using the small transaction fee. We did not have the hundreds of thousands of dollars many universities spend up-front for such systems. We did not have resources to write all the software we needed from scratch. And we did not want to charge our vendors the kinds of registration fees used in some systems around the country.

In our approach, a small fee is assessed to the winning vendor so that the cost of the system, for both its implementation and continued maintenance, can be gradually recovered through the purchases we make using the system. This is the same approach used in credit card purchasing.

Our fee of one-half percent, which is capped at a $300 maximum, is one of the lowest in the country. We invite vendors to include the fee in the prices they quote us so it will not impact their often-narrow profit margins. Although the fee is passed on to us in our purchases, it is more than recovered through the lower prices we obtain and the processing time and costs we save.

Crossing guard worked from heart

We all loved "Uncle" Harry. He started at our school when I was entering the first grade. Harry had previously worked at the local paper mill as a general laborer. He started working at the mill at age 16 and worked there until he was deemed too old to work at age 75.

Even before he came to our school, Harry had earned a degree of local celebrity. He never missed a day of work, and he walked everywhere he went. Harry had a car, but mostly he backed it out of his single-stall garage, washed and waxed it, then forwarded it back into its protected stall. Harry seldom ventured outside a five-mile radius from his home.

The mill retired Harry on Aug. 31, 1952, and on the very next day, Harry started his first day as our school's first-ever volunteer crossing guard. For the next 20 years, Harry was a permanent fixture at the intersection of Murphy and 18th Avenue, where he never missed a day of ushering elementary-aged children safely across the street.

I was lucky enough to visit the day my old elementary school celebrated Harry's 95th birthday, in October 1972. The next day Harry walked down and checked himself into the local hospital. Thirty days later, he died of cancer.

In all those 20 years, Harry was never paid a cent, other than to experience the smiles and laughter of all those young children and the appreciative respect of their parents. In my hometown, Harry Olson is a well-remembered and treasured saint, and I'm glad he was a part of my life.