By Lee Cataluna
Advertiser Columnist

Every so often, since as far back as the 1920s, engineers having been working to figure out a way to put sand back on Waikiki beach.

The sand gets carried out by the ocean, the dynamics of which are, of course, affected by the development along the shore.

It is the literal shoveling of sand against the tide, but the state continues to pay for it because Waikiki beach is simply too valuable to let go.

Nobody will say it is "throwing money" at the problem. And nobody should.

But in talking about trying to stem the tide of crystal methamphetamine — the drug that eats away at brain cells, at maternal instincts, at children's potential, at the security of every one of our homes and cars — it's hard to imagine that someone would bring up the "throwing money" argument.

But somebody did. Our governor pulled out the favorite Republican trump card:

"We can't simply throw money at a problem and think it's going to be solved" was her reaction to the Joint House-Senate Task Force on Ice and Drug Abatement's report. The report calls for a range of prevention, intervention and treatment programs with an estimated total cost of $21 million.

We can't throw politics at a problem and think anything will be solved, either.

Though the task force was touted as a bipartisan effort, the reality was there were four Republicans on the 18-member panel. None of them showed up for the official news conference unveiling the report. Bills arising from the report are to be part of the Democrats' legislative package.

Oh, and the administration has a drug abatement package of its own. And besides, our lieutenant governor made his name as a drug court judge. This is his baby.

Lingle recently requisitioned $30 million for improvements to baggage facilities at Kahului airport and $20 million for a parking structure in Kaka'ako. Much of that would come from federal money or revenue bonds. But still, compare that to $21 million to fight the scourge of ice in Hawai'i.

The legislative session opens next week and partisanship is threatening to derail any meaningful work on a crisis situation.

Can the war against drugs ever be "won"?

Of course not.

There will always be drug users and drug dealers.

Grains of sand will be pulled from Waikiki beach with every wave. But there are steps that can, should and must be taken to mitigate the damage.

Standing on the beach and barking about who is going to take credit for saving the day doesn't do squat. Somebody has to do the hard, frustrating, work of moving all that sand or all will be lost.

Stop fighting and pick up the shovel.

Lee Cataluna's column runs Tuesdays, Fridays and Sundays. Reach her at 535-8172 or lcataluna@honoluluadvertiser.com.