CIRA de CASTILLOTGI Staff Writer LIHU’E — A small group of demonstrators showed up at the Lihu’e Airport Tuesday morning as Mayor Maryanne Kusaka boarded a flight for Washington State where she will attend the Seattle Travel show. According to
CIRA de CASTILLOTGI Staff Writer
LIHU’E — A small group of demonstrators showed up at the Lihu’e Airport
Tuesday morning as Mayor Maryanne Kusaka boarded a flight for Washington State
where she will attend the Seattle Travel show.
According to Beth Tokioka,
public information officer for the mayor, the demonstrators were protesting the
administration’s timetable for completion of the General Plan Update
(GPU).
The Mayor, Tokioka said, told the demonstrators that the GPU has
been under discussion for three years.
The Seattle Travel Show is one of
three consumer shows the county helps sponsor at a cost to taxpayers of
$12,000.
“By sponsoring the majority of the booth cost, the county allows
other vendors (hotels, activities, etc.) to participate at their own expense,”
said Tokioka. About 15 vendors will be participating in the county’s
booth.
Kusaka is attending the show for the fifth year. It is expected to
attract some 6,000 Seattle consumers who pay an average of $6 for admission.
A county delegation of four representatives will promote a Hawaiian
Airlines air travel package that lets Hawaii-bound Seattle travelers get one
free inter-island leg between the islands of Kaua’i and Hawaii.
Tokioka
said, while in Seattle, Mayor Kusaka will be part of a Borders Books promotion
spotlighting Kaua’i Coffee and Kaua’i Cookies.
Kaua’i authors David
Penhallow and Rhonda Lizama will appear with the Mayor at their own
expense.
Kusaka will also meet with former Hawaii residents, now Seattle
retailers, and possible buyers of Kaua’i products; and a Board of Trustee
member from the National Tropical Botanical Gardens whose family has
contributed to Lydgate Park improvements.
At a dinner, hosted by Saltchuk
Corporation, Young Brothers parent company, Kusaka plans to ask for special
shipping considerations, from Seattle to Kaua’i, for materials needed for the
construction of “Namahoe” Kaua’i’s sailing canoe.
Tokioka said
representatives of several high tech companies, interested in Kaua’i, will be
in attendance at the dinner and have the opportunity to meet the mayor.
The
Mayor will return to Kaua’i on Feb 7.
