Focus drugs, crime, education reform

As a candidate, I appreciate the opportunity to share our views concerning the district we represent. Just for the record, the vision that was printed ("No edge for incumbents in 51st House," Sept. 28) was a part of a long interview for which many visions and ideas were shared, on various subjects that have and will affect our district. Obviously, many of the ideas and visions shared were left on the cutting room floor.

With the building boom in Hawai'i Kai and looking ahead at development that is planned for Waimanalo, there is no doubt that we are going to have increased traffic and transportation problems. Five to 10 years from now, we will have to address this problem. But for now, the suggested bypass road mentioned in the article is just a vision.

As a community, we must preserve our rural lifestyle and be mindful as to how it will affect our agriculture and farming industry. Any changes that will be planned or made will have to be by consent of our residents and community.

My main focus in the interview was centered on drugs, crime and true education reform. Our children deserve better and I will work to provide these reforms.

Volleyball facility idea is right on

What a great idea it was of reader Tim Rajkowski (Letters, Sept. 27) to suggest that the city turn the Natatorium into a beach volleyball site!

That seems to take care of everything for us. It keeps the Natatorium and it provides a place to watch beach volleyball with its stadium seating and ocean backdrop. I would think it would become the premier location in the world for it. When there are no volleyball games scheduled, people could use it for "sand soccer," we could put tables and umbrellas on it when it's Brunch on the Beach, and parents can bring their kids to it for a giant sandbox.

Botanical Society saddened by closing

We are surprised and saddened by the closure of Lyon Arboretum to the public. The arboretum is an important resource for researchers and local residents alike. The Hawaiian Botanical Society is interested in the well-being of the arboretum because of its role in the conservation of endangered native species, its collections of species from around the world, and its botanical research. To close the entire arboretum to public access, reportedly because structures not part of the public exhibits are unsafe, seems to be a hasty overreaction by the University of Hawai'i administration.

This unfortunate move is especially harmful because it shuts out the many volunteers who are vital to building and maintaining the arboretum. We urge the University of Hawai'i administration to proceed with repairs while keeping the rest of Lyon Arboretum open to the public, especially to the volunteers who are so critical to its operation.

For the longer term future of Lyon Arboretum, we believe the university needs to increase ongoing funding and appoint a strong director who can collaborate with the botanical community and the staff to create a long-term plan for enhancing its institutional stability as well as its conservation, research and public educational value.

Ha'iku stairs: Council's costly delay

Access to the popular Ha'iku stairs can be facilitated if the City Council will agree to a land swap with the state. Advertiser library photo • Aug. 13, 2004

The proposed land swap is a win-win-win solution: DHHL gets land for hundreds of new homes for Hawaiians, the city gets access to the Ha'iku Stairs and the rich historical, cultural and recreational potential of the Ha'iku Valley, and the nearby residents get relieved of the pressure of illegal hikers.

Testifying against the trade were Rep. Ken Ito, who last year authored a bill to tear down the Ha'iku Stairs, and a few residents who made the puzzling argument that providing legal, controlled access to the Ha'iku Stairs through the old quarantine station would actually increase the number of trespassers through their properties.

Now, while awaiting further action by the council (and perhaps even by a new mayor), DHHL goes without a new area to build homes, the nearby residents continue to experience illegal hikers, the city continues to expend $1,500 a week for security personnel and the thousands of Hawai'i citizens who long for access to the Ha'iku Stairs continue to wait.

The difficulties the council and the administration have in working together should not be an excuse to delay this proposal. The city has spent large amounts of money to plan and to repair the stairs. Volunteers have spent hundreds of hours doing area maintenance. Newspapers have devoted hundreds of inches of space to news, editorials, commentary and letters. Government officials and citizens have spent hundreds of hours discussing and discussing and discussing often the same discussions, since there is little institutional memory.

The opportunity exists, finally, for action. Let's do it!