Awesome art show by students
Regarding Chiefess Kamakahelei Middle School’s art show at Kukui Grove Center Kauai Society of Artists space, in a word — awesome!
Caroline Miura, Kapaa
Use of public water questioned
At an April 26 Lihue Business Association meeting, Grove Farm representatives delivered a program entitled “Legacy Plantation Waterways.” This refers to the ditch system that diverts water from the Eastside Wailua watershed and elsewhere to where sugar cane used to grow.
They said that these “legacy waterways” “operate under state commission jurisdiction.” In fact, Grove Farm has never had a permit to divert water from natural streams. To the contrary, the public’s ownership of surface water is clearly stated in the Hawaii state constitution, and anyone who wants to use it must ask through the permitting process.
Grove Farm would have us believe that when Steve Case bought Lihue Plantation Company in 2000, ownership rights to the water were transferred with the sale. This is false. It’s like buying a car, then expecting free gas to operate it.
The water commission referenced, Commission for Water Resource Management, has been remiss for decades in monitoring the disposition of water flowing down Wai‘ale‘ale and Waikoko streams and the other streams between them. Only recently has CWRM undertaken a stream-flow study to establish flow rates that may be used to establish rules governing allocation of the people’s water that will benefit the public at large, not big, land-owning corporations.
Why this matters is, first, Grove Farm is presently capturing public water, then selling it back to the Kauai Water Department for $2M a year.
Second, these “legacy plantation waterways” have literally dried up streams and rivers, so that traditional Hawaiian taro farmers could not grow taro, and aquatic fauna that need to migrate up and down a river are significantly negatively impacted.
Third, if big, land-owner corporations gain control of the water, it enables them to grow subdivisions and shopping malls. Today’s island population overshoot makes obvious that population growth management needs to be in the hands of Kauai’s people through their elected government, not in the hands of profit-driven land companies.
Politicians whose fortunes are tied to an obsolete, plantation-era political and economic system, (County Councilmembers) Arthur Brun, Arryl Kaneshiro, Derek Kawakami, need to be replaced in the coming election with candidates unbound by this profits-before-people model, who share a belief held by most island residents that Kauai is at a turning point.
Michael Goodwin, Wailua
Perhaps Grove Farm can provide a response in TGI to Mr. Godwin’s well-written letter.
Is it true that Grove Farm is presently capturing public water, then selling it back to the Kauai Water Department for $2M a year? How is this feasible/ Or even legal?
This appears to be of great concern, especially when Mr. Goodwin names 3 council members who appear to have connections to Grove Farm. One of them (Kawakami) seems destined to become our next Mayor.
It seems important that this discussion sees more light of the day. How exactly are the named politicians connected to Grove Farm? And what do they stand to gain if Grove Farm’s interests are promoted?
Arryl Kanishiro works for Grove Farm. Arthur Brun works for a pesticide/seed company that leases land from Grove farm. Derek Kawakami is on the Board of Directors at Waoli Corporation, a charitable organization with ties to the Grove Farm land company.
Agree that a response from Grove Farm is called for.
M. Goodwin said, “…these ‘legacy plantation waterways’ have literally dried up streams and rivers, so that traditional Hawaiian taro farmers could not grow taro, and aquatic fauna that need to migrate up and down a river are significantly negatively impacted.”
Fake news! Comrade Goodwin, name one single taro farmer who has not had enough water to grow taro. And please recount your list of aquatic fauna that have suffered. (crickets) You and T. Lilley! It was Kauai’s ongoing drought that has reduced water levels in its streams.
Mr. Manawai, what Kauai drought are you talking about? This has been the coolest, rainiest winter in quite some time.
It would be more appropriate if you addressed the need for a corporation to control our waterways. What exactly is Grove Farm irrigating? And what legal right do they have to divert water from streams? And do they really have a deal selling said water to the County?
Kauai’s people need to fully understand these issues. Grove Farm, we are listening. How about a Guest Opinion letter explaining your actions?
http://www.grovefarm.com/waiahi-surface-water-treatment-plant
o`opunakea, nopili, gobies, are a few, and the federally protected Newcomb’s snail, which can get KIUC in a lot of trouble with big time fine like happened with the birds.
Won’t name here taro farmers I know, and can’t name the ones who are dead. Talking a century of injustice to Hawaiians.
Wow this is a perfect example of somebody knowing very little bit about something complicated, jumping to all kine conclusions, then spinning it to get the public all mad. Just did a search on this guy Goodwin. Noticed some pretty recognizable names. Same rich people always complaining. Noise, noise, pretend to care about Kauai, more noise, then the true colors come out.
Anybody reading this ever wonder what these people really want? No way they care about fauna. What is that? They care about taro farmers? How come the real farmers not complaining? Is it because they have enough water and are busy farming? They not asking for hand outs and probably don’t even know what fauna is. And is anybody reading this going broke because of their water bill?
Why not just say you don’t want subdivisions and shopping malls? Why wait until the end, try to sound smart, and pretend you care about anything else besides making Kauai your little pet?
To everybody reading this and not sure what to believe, go talk to the actual people being called out. This is Kauai. It’s small. Not hard to find them. Anybody who met Arryl knows he’s good. Derek seems ok and a lot of people seem to like him. Arthur volunteers plenty time with youth sports. Are they trying to get on our side, then behind the scenes they planning to ruin the island? Come on. Any noise makers spending their time doing good? If you have posters of snails and fauna on your wall then maybe you think so. Fauna…omg.
For people asking Grove Farm to respond, no make sense. Anything they say is just is just ammo for guys like Goodwin, just like this letter to the editor coming after the legacy waterways meeting. This is the typical guys that tell everybody to wake up. Wish they would shut up.
May God bless you often Kakimochi. Please return here often as well!
Aloha,
Grove Farm is a company, owned by the founder of AOL. Not a sugar company for a long time.
Loyalty on Kauai is everything, we take care of our own. But Grove Far m is not god.
Founded in 1865 to ” save the heathen Hawaiians from there chiefly servitude” direct quote from William Hopper diaries.
Do you feel saved. What lasting good has Grove Farm really done? I could spend days talking about the bad. If you know, then you know, the rest is just the herd.
“Own” buahahahaha, maybe their toilet seat! The Ali’i were brilliant with how they positioned these lands. Not corporate illegally occupying oppressor of peoples worldwide. The original bully turned terrorists. All career politicians, military, and american citizens that have played in this corrupted sandbox is going to Halawa. Ask your title guarantee insurance corporation weas da beef, title? No such thing! no treaty of annexation, no jurisdiction! judiciary and kauai county kpd et al gone!