Letters to the Editor

Nursing shortage becoming critical

May 12 was the birthday of Florence Nightingale. It marked the end of National Nurses' Week.

At a time when insurance rates and other factors are causing hospitals to reduce services, Hawai'i nurses are there to put patient care first — always.

Hawai'i nurses hope Nurses' Week helped motivate people to choose a career in nursing. We face a nursing shortage that is fast becoming critical.

Nursing won't make you wealthy, although the Hawai'i Nurses Association is working hard to improve compensation, benefits and working conditions. But there is still no better career than helping people.

Nurses' Week honored all in nursing — a career in which you can truly say that your greatest heroes are the people with whom you work every day. Hawai'i nurses thank you for your demonstration of appreciation last week, and we look to you for your support for our continuing efforts to maintain and improve patient care for everyone in Hawai'i.

Homeless problem must be fixed now

The homeless problem is a society problem, even in the richest country in the world; shame on us!

We need compassion and help from government and the private sector to help those who are willing to help themselves. Emergency help like housing, food and medical care can resolve the short-term problems; the long-term problems will resolve themselves with productive, proud, self-sufficient and useful taxpaying citizens.

Immediate action is needed.

• We need government leaders and private-sector volunteers to search for surplus government land for temporary housing. Use tents if needed. with volunteer help to establish livable housing according to government health codes, with donations from the public and government for food, medical and other temporary needs.

• Mandate a temporary occupancy time so others may use the facilities.

• Mandate educational curriculum so participants will learn a useful trade. Don't give them the fish for a day but teach them how to fish for self-reliance, dignity and respect for life.

• Special care is needed for pregnant women and single moms with kids; establish day-care centers so moms are free to attend classes.

• All living facilities should be inspected weekly for unlawful drugs and alcohol and to ensure livable conditions.

Why is Army's land grab going unnoticed?

The Legislature has passed a bill mandating the preservation of agricultural land, and Gov. Lingle "will sign it with enthusiasm." Meanwhile, the Army is in the process of taking 23,000 acres of very good agricultural land on the Big Island to expand the Pohakuloa Military Training Area. I haven't heard a word opposing this land grab from Gov. Lingle, our Legislature or our congressional delegation.

It would seem that the policy of our state is to keep our agricultural land intact. We are passing laws to implement this policy, and the courts are upholding present law. Is our local government asleep?

Twenty-three thousand acres is as big as the city of Honolulu. The Army says it needs the land for national defense. That's handy at the moment, but in a few years when our national paranoia fades a bit, that land will be gone from agriculture forever, and we won't be able to get it back.

Hawai'i is healthcare hell for physicians

Every year since 1992, HMSA has paid orthopedic surgeons less and raised rates. Worker's comp here is the worst healthcare in the United States; it constantly abuses patients and pays peanuts to physicians.

This is a failure of the Legislature and the unions. Liability is unlimited here. Why would any doctor be willing to get of bed in the middle of the night to see you for the privilege of being sued?

When I moved home to O'ahu in 1990, Hawai'i, with HMSA and worker's comp, was a reasonable place to practice. I would never move here now if I were starting out.

If you want decent medical care in this state 10 years from now, you need to support change now. HMSA's policies, or its board and its policies, need to change now. The Legislature needs to change worker's comp now. We need tort reform now.

If things don't change, our families will suffer. Until we leave.

Can Hawai'i handle increased military?

We are being overrun by the military presence in Hawai'i. There have been daily reports about basing more ships and soldiers in Hawai'i. It's true the Defense Department brings jobs and helps the economy, but let's stop and take a look to see if our limited resources can handle such a large new influx of soldiers, sailors and families.

Our state and counties aren't able to fix the roads, traffic, schools, skyrocketing prices, housing and rentals. Where are the locals going to be living? Let's say no to more military buildup until we take care of our own first.

Britain provides a lesson on driving

Traffic congestion on O'ahu could be reduced substantially if drivers made a small but significant adjustment to their driving habits.

O'ahu and Great Britain share a similar problem: too many cars on a small island (700,000 on O'ahu and 32 million in Britain). Britain's traffic, however, moves far more efficiently than that on O'ahu for one simple reason: British drivers are taught to "make progress."

In fact, on your drivers' test in Britain, if your speed deteriorates below 28 mph in a 30-mph zone, you are marked down. This singular difference in driving skills does not encourage speeding but it does keep traffic moving.

Until our mass-transit system is improved (if ever), drivers can immediately help congestion by keeping up with traffic.

If the light is green, move off! You'll be doing everyone a favor.