ECONOMY

LEGALIZE GAY MARRIAGE, GAMBLING IN HAWAI'I

I have two suggestions on how to get tourists to come back to Hawai'i.

My first suggestion echoes previous discussions of legalizing some form of controlled gambling. There could be a casino built on the island, or gambling could be allowed on an interisland cruise ship.

Many local residents travel to Las Vegas once or even twice a year. Why not keep that money in the Islands?

My other suggestion is to legalize gay marriage in Hawai'i. Not many states are OK with gay marriages, but if Hawai'i was one of them it would be great. It is a beautiful place to be married and for a honeymoon.

BUS-STOP STOOLS

SPEND TAX MONEY ON SHELTERS FOR HOMELESS

The expensive "lie-down-unfriendly" stools installed at various bus stops do not help Hawai'i's homeless problem ("Homeless face new city tactic: bus stop stools," Oct. 27).

The stools, which cost the city a grand $11,000, are uncomfortable, impractical and wasteful.

In no way do they address the current problems with the homeless population, which range from overcrowding to violence. Because many bus stops already have installed shelters, the homeless can easily sleep on the sidewalks, as many already do.

Hawai'i's homeless suffer daily from a lack of places to stay and eat because of low funding for shelters and the closures of public beaches and parks.

Our money should be spent on actively alleviating the matter at hand — not just pushing the homeless to places that are even more dangerous and inconvenient to the public.

COMMUTING

KEEP USING ALTERNATIVE TRANSPORTATION MODES

I encourage all the people of Hawai'i who walked, biked, caught TheBus or used anything other than a car to go to work, run errands, and just get around in the wake of high gasoline prices to make these good practices a more permanent part of their lives.

Remember, these alternative means of transportation still cost little to nothing to utilize, and the environmental, physical and mental-health benefits are worth far more than the dollar you save at the pump.

Keep up the good work, Hawai'i.

WAIMEA FALLS PARK

VIABLE WAIMEA PARK COULD HELP HAWAIIANS

The Waimea Falls Park controversies over the past few years have saddened me immensely.

For nearly 20 years, I worked to grow the park into one of Hawai'i's top visitor attractions. In the beginning, I called it a "stick farm" where many dreamed of fabulous gardens and much fun. Later, it was third among the top paid attractions on O'ahu, drawing around 600,000 people each year.

It distresses me to have people use the words "tourist attraction" as some vile epithet. The visitor industry is the backbone of our economy. It funds education, health, infrastructure, social services and makes possible full-time employment for thousands. At one time, Waimea was one of the top three employers on the North Shore.

Many mistakes have been made over the past decade. But the Office of Hawaiian Affairs is no different than any other entity operating the park. Large sums of income are needed to pay staff, take care of maintenance and equipment and properly insure the operations.

The biggest problem now is the enormous gulf within the Hawaiian community.

Waimea Falls Park should be the viable, profitable visitor attraction it once was, which would tremendously benefit all of the Hawaiian community served by OHA.

HOMELESS

WAIKIKI NO LONGER A PLEASANT PLACE TO VISIT

On my recent, and may I add my last, trip to Waikiki, I was so disappointed that I feel like crying.

I have visited Waikiki many times in the past and have always enjoyed staying by Kapi'olani Park. On my last visit, I was accosted, threatened and harassed by the large number of homeless who have taken over the park.

Shopping carts blocked the entrance to the public restrooms and I was told by the homeless living there that I was not welcome and would have to pay to use the facilities.

Trying to get to the beach from the park was like going through a maze around tents and encampments.

The litter was horrible and I was frightened more than once.

And to top it all off, the beautiful fountain in the park that was always so wonderful to visit was dry and shut off.

How sad that a wonderful park that many of us use and have come to Hawai'i to enjoy has become such a horrendous place.

I will not be back to Hawai'i, as the aloha spirit and beauty no longer are there.

HAMILTON LIBRARY

DID NO ONE CHECK DRAINS OR REPAIR WORK?

Books again are damaged in Hamilton Library after heavy rains. Is this the third or fourth time this has happened over the last five years?

They say this time that "water poured into the second floor due to debris-clogged drains. Then the water just poured in between the new and old portions of the roof into the library like a faucet."

Is anyone checking these drains on a regular basis? Did anyone do a water test between the new and old portions of the roof when the last repair was completed from the last time it leaked? How much money have we thrown at this over the last few years? Will the contractor be held responsible for these damages or will taxpayers be stuck with the bill again, again and again?

Let me guess — it's always taxpayers who are stuck with the bill in Hawai'i.