Letters to the Editor

Hilo can show the way to a proper signage

I was surprised to read Mr. Richard Fassler's letter about the lack of signage for the O'ahu Kamehameha Statue.

For any who wish to see a Kamehameha statue with proper signage, they need only come to Hilo. The Mamalahoe Chapter of the Kamehameha Alumni Association helped bring the Hilo statue to its present location, designed and installed signs appropriate to the king, and recently restored the spectacular gold leaf, too. Try come, look!

Maybe the Big Island example can inspire those responsibleÊto finally provide the needed signs on O'ahu. Come on, Honolulu, catch up.

Physician misconduct investigated quickly

Cristy Wolf's June 10 letter ("Disciplinary action procedure lacking") states erroneously that the Board of Medical Examiners (BME) and the Regulated Industries Complaints Office (RICO) wait until a complaint is filed by a consumer before they initiate an investigation of possible physician misconduct.

Nothing could be further from the truth.

More than 50 percent of our complaints are staff-initiated. We are sorry for any miscommunication that might have caused Ms. Wolf to conclude otherwise.

The BME receives and gathers a wide range of information about possible physician misconduct from a number of sources, including but not limited to medical boards in other states, healthcare organizations that have restricted a physician's privileges or taken other adverse action, patients, concerned members of the public, as well as from newspapers and other media sources. All of the information that may indicate possible medical licensing violations is forwarded to RICO for investigation.

In addition to the information referred by the BME, RICO independently receives information about possible licensing violations from many different sources. Investigations can be and are opened through a staff-initiated complaint by the BME or by RICO where it learns of a possible licensing violation (such as a criminal conviction).

This is and has been the longstanding policy and procedure of both agencies. Both BME and RICO are committed to the thorough investigation and aggressive prosecution of licensing violations, and we do not hesitate to make use of all information at our disposal.

Lucy Gay would be a good replacement

News flash: "Regents fire Dobelle." After reading this article in its entirety, it brought me back.

Almost one year ago this month, we, the residents of the Wai'anae Coast, Friends of Lucy Gay, the students of LCCW and supporters were faced with a difficult and what I considered a long struggle with Leeward Community College administrators, which also got a lot of media attention.

Lucy Gay was returned to LCCW, a decision made by David McClain, vice president for academic affairs and now acting president. And for that, many of us never said "Mahalo!"

Lucy Gay's title was changed from coordinator of LCCW to director for Wai'anae Educational Opportunities/Economic Development. She continues to amaze me with her dedication and the timeless energy she pours into our community.

Being in that situation before, I can empathize with Evan Dobelle's supporters, but it was a unanimous decision made by the regents, which no doubt will be challenged.

Can't find a better man for the job? I nominate Ms. Lucy Gay.

Memorable events

Recently we have seen the dedication of the World War II Memorial and the passings of President Reagan and Ray Charles. The memorial is a reminder to us of our duty to be Americans.

I know that if these two great Americans got to heaven's gate at the same time, there would be no waiting in line to see who would be first. They would be side by side, saying to heaven's gatekeeper "Let us in!"

Airport detainment wasn't justifiable

I am a 2004 graduate of La Pietra and was a classmate of Amanda El-Dakhakhni, author of the May 27 Island Voices op-ed. Amanda and her father are both American citizens, and as such, they were rightly offended by their unwarranted detainment by U.S. Customs at the airport — a clear case of unreasonable racial profiling.

If the basis for this search was their flight's country of origin (Egypt), as Mr. Brechtel suggests (Letters, June 7), then why were the El-Dakhakhnis the only ones detained from their flight? Is visiting one's family now considered "suspicious activity"? The El-Dakhakhnis' privacy was infringed upon not on the basis of reasonable suspicion, but for a reason that the customs agents refused to divulge.

The idea that anyone — even an American citizen — can be arbitrarily deemed suspicious should alarm even those who "have nothing to hide" (Mr. Enos, June 9). I am a pure-Caucasian citizen of the United States, and I am concerned.

Also, in response to Mr. Enos' assertion that the Arab men of Sept. 11 infamy "profiled themselves," is every individual then responsible for all actions of members of his own ethnicity?

Waikiki folks need break from marches

Gay pride parade ... yawn! No offense meant, but we're overdosed on parades in Waikiki — stuck in our towers or trapped in our cars.

Anyway, isn't pride one of the seven deadlies? I'm not a gay-basher, but sexuality is a private matter. As long as you hurt no one and you don't spread STDs, sexual preference is your own business.

Have your festival at McCoy Pavilion, enjoy yourselves; but why disrupt the already gridlocked Waikiki traffic? How about a celibate humility celebration for a change — a festival, not a parade? Live and let live!