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The Honolulu Advertiser
Posted on: Wednesday, June 29, 2005

Letters to the Editor

Ocean liner needed for alternative travel

This is in response to the June 6 Advertiser report on Norwegian Cruise Line's Pride of America, its second U.S.-flagged ship.

Hawai'i needs an ocean liner, not another interisland cruise ship. The ocean liner would provide an alternate to flying and providing transportation service between Hawai'i and the U.S. Mainland.

Hawai'i is the only state that does not have a choice of public transportation for interstate travel except for passenger-carrying airlines.

Because Hawai'i is unique as a state located near the center of the Pacific Ocean, the ocean is its highway for safe travel. The Superferry, in addition to offering intrastate service, could provide open-ocean service between Hawai'i and Los Angeles in three days sailing time at 39 knots (45 mph) ferry speed. NCL's Pride of America sailing at 20 knots could provide the trip in six days.

Thomas D. Ross
Waimea, Hawai'i


Akaka bill provides access to dialogue

Congratulations to reporter Gordon Pang for getting it right about Native Hawaiian issues. The June 13 story "Independence seekers urged to go to U.N." said it all about this issue.

On the one hand, you have Kekuni Blaisdell declaring that the United States won't "relinquish its grip on Hawai'i" and advocating that Native Hawaiians plead their case under international law and at the United Nations.

On the other hand is Julian Burger, coordinator of the Indigenous Peoples Unit of the U.N.'s Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, saying, "In the United Nations and international law, there's no right to independence. What you have is a right to self-determination." Burger goes on to say that a right to self-determination "allows an opportunity for one group to discuss with another group how it should relate to that group."

In essence, Burger is saying that international law guarantees little more than a right of Native Hawaiians to have a conversation with the United States. That's it. Burger also points out that independence would require the support of the United States.

It's odd that what Kekuni Blaisdell seeks — the international law understanding of the right to self-determination — is exactly what the Akaka bill provides, and so much more. It's good to live in a country that understands that self-determination means more than just a right to a conversation, it means a right to make decisions that affect your collective future as an indigenous people.

Charlene Silva
Hale'iwa


What's wrong with 'Renaissance' book?

City Managing Director Jeff Coelho's proposal to burn 3,500 copies of the 2004 book "Renaissance of Honolulu" is very chilling.

Councilwoman Ann Kobayashi objects to the book and says it is not fit to represent Honolulu properly. What is it in the book that makes her feel this way?

According to The Advertiser story ("Harris books may have powerful ending"), Kobayashi says, "We can't hand those out. It's embarrassing." I think Kobayashi should explain to the taxpayers who funded this book why this book is embarrassing.

According to Councilwoman Barbara Marshall, the 220-page coffee-table book, which showcases in wonderful color pictures the communities of Honolulu, should be handed out at next month's National Association of Counties conference. This sounds like a great idea to me.

The book may not make the best-seller list, but I found it interesting, and I believe Honolulu's visitors will enjoy reading it, too.

Bob Hampton
Hawai'i Kai


Gov. Lingle flirting with liberal dogma

Doesn't Gov. Lingle, in signing the conveyance tax bill, realize that she's getting dangerously close to being a liberal?

The increased tax revenue would support "affordable" housing and environmental protection. But it's conservative dogma that those who need government-subsidized housing have only themselves to blame, and it's also conservative dogma that the natural environment is for human exploitation.

Tom Huff
Manoa


Repeal tax increase to pay for our roads

Recently, our City Council passed a $1.8 billion budget financed by measures that require a heavier tax burden on O'ahu residents. Budget Committee Chairwoman Ann Kobayashi said, "We're doing this so that the sewers and the roads can be repaired" (Advertiser, June 7).

I agree with Councilman Charles Djou in that we the people are not endless cash machines. Especially retired people on fixed incomes.

Now that the real reasons for the poor condition of our roads have been revealed by the city auditor, the tax measures to raise $30 million for road rehabilitation should be repealed. By ending diversion of city road crews from doing non-road-related work, adopting all 24 best practices for road maintenance, implementing formal policies and proper procedures and accurate record-keeping, taxpayer dollars would not be wasted (Advertiser, June 22).

Council members Djou and Kobayashi should be the ones to lead the repeal of the unnecessary tax burden recently passed.

Michael Woo
Hawai'i Kai


'Frills' make Hawai'i a joyful experience

I congratulate The Advertiser for following its mission "to perpetuate the qualities of aloha" and for printing the letters from visitors who come to Hawai'i to enjoy all the scenery, the ocean, the mountains, the flowers and trees, the wonderful dances and songs of the Hawaiian people, and the "Waikiki frills" (as coined in an editorial letter by Gary Fitzpatrick of Alexandria, Va.).

How many tourists would come if all they could participate in was the water of the Pacific and the beaches of our Islands? Some, certainly, but not all. It is the "frills" that make Hawai'i the joyful, comprehensive experience it is.

The City Council should keep that in mind before it fires up the budgetary guillotine.

Verna Lazarnick
Waikiki


What's with red dirt?

What is all the red dirt on the sand in Waikiki for? I hope the city is not planning to mix it with the white sand. I don't think Dr. Beach has ever considered a red-dirt beach for one of the top beaches. After swimmers go into the water and lay on the red sand, they won't have to buy red-dirt shirts at the swap meet because everything will be stained.

Ray Delight
Waikiki


Board of Water Supply isn't tasked with planning

I was pleased to read a recent letter to the editor ("Building moratorium is critical for O'ahu," June 22) as we agree water is essential to life and as such it is critically important that we all work together to ensure a sustainable water supply for today and tomorrow.

However, we would like to correct some misconceptions in the letter. The Board of Water Supply is not the agency tasked with planning for or determining restrictions on economic or community growth within the City & County of Honolulu.

The city Department of Planning and Permitting, working with the community and other government agencies, establishes and implements the city's long-range plans for population and land-use growth. The Board of Water Supply is required to ensure that adequate supplies of water are available to meet the direction and growth of the community, as declared by the city and state governments. It is a responsibility that the board has long embraced.

However, as stewards of O'ahu's most precious natural resource, we take seriously our responsibility to preserve and protect the water supply. Therefore, our management of the municipal water system includes research and development of alternate water sources such as desalination and water reclamation, and more efficient use of different grades of water available.

As the population of our island grows and the demand for water increases, the Board of Water Supply will work harder to use available water supplies more efficiently and implement other sources of water to supplement existing supplies to ensure that future generations have access to the high-quality water we enjoy today.

We cannot achieve sustainability of this finite resource alone; we need the help of all water users. So we hope everyone will join with us to achieve our mission, to ensure "Water for Life — Ka Wai Ola" for today and tomorrow.

Clifford S. Jamile
Manager and chief engineer, Honolulu Board of Water Supply


Hanauma a miserable experience

Much political prattle has been published in The Honolulu Advertiser, but "Hanauma Bay" is absurd.

The city plans to entice kama'aina back to Hanauma Bay by forcing them to lug their children, and everything else, one-half mile from the bus stop to the ticket gate, where they will be obliged to roast under the sun for a minimum of 30 minutes to show their photo ID.

Should anyone faint from the heat, or a nursing mother seek some shade, they will be forced back into the queue so the ticket clerk can see she is nursing an infant rather than a teenager, or dehydrated victim. Such inhumanity is excused by, "The fire marshal strictly enforces the number of people who can be in this area, so everyone needs to be where we can see them for an accurate count."

After that 30-, 60-, 90- or 180-minute wait, the 'ohana gets to roast under the sun in another queue for another 30 minutes to see a mandatory video that hasn't stopped anyone from walking on reefs or from drowning. Then, because only one or no transport is available, the 'ohana drags everyone and everything down the hill, jostled by all the other uptight video prisoners who have spent at least two hours at Hanauma Bay without any opportunity to stick one toe in the water.

By the time the 'ohana gets to the beach, members are more likely to see fish on the information booth than in the water because everyone wears fins that kick up the sand so no one can see his hand in front of his face. What fun!

Then it's "Lets go home, mom," and because only one or no transport is operating, it is the long trek up the hill, going past the old exit, and up the stairs all the way to the entrance gate before they get to turn around and walk that half-mile back to the bus stop where, just to make certain their visit is memorable, the city has chopped down the shade tree by the bus stop, so the 'ohana can look forward to their dehydrated bodies being roasted alive before TheBus arrives (if ever).

During all this time of roasting in the sun, mothers play a little game with their children called "Count the Security Guards." Even adults enjoy this game because there are always more security guards at Hanauma Bay than at Honolulu Hale, the state Capitol and even the White House!

These security guards "control" the recreational experience, rather than look for terrorists. In other words, it is all a cash cow scam. It has nothing to do with "saving Hanauma Bay" or the coral (otherwise they would simply ban fins inside the reef so people could actually see marine life without sand blasting the coral and vegetation).

That's right, folks! This is Hawai'i, and it is all about money!

Why would anyone subject their children to a miserable day standing in the sun simply to enrich city contractors and other hands? Well, the city has this plan ... and several advisers, commissions and committees ...

Rico Leffanta
Waikiki