Matter of trustTo the Forum:

Sue Dixon’s column (5/14 TGI) calling some community watchdogs’ questioning of

the details of the purchase of KE “nit-picking” is an exceptionally naive

commentary and demonstrates why she has lost the trust of many in the community

to run the newspaper in a manner that

serves the whole citizenry.

It

demonstrates how Ms. Dixon just doesn’t get it. She seems to sit in her ivory

tower and try to control public debate without understanding the nature of

public discourse, debate and, most importantly, trust.

The valid concerns

of many Kauaians over things like the purchase price, the secrecy and the lack

of community participation in the purchase process seem to be concepts that

just go over Dixon’s head.

She can’t see that the pattern of forcing

projects down the throats of the people draws suspicion and opposition- a

common occurrence on this island these days. And it’s exactly what has happened

in this case.

People like to be asked. But the top down “we know what’s

best for you” plantation mentality toward development is rampant these

days.

Power brokers at the Kaua`i Economic Development Board (KEDB) and

Chamber of Commerce have used a methodology of stifling community discussion

to

push projects forward. There isn’t much debate about this fact. It

forces the community to distrust their motives and proposals. And one of these

KEDB and C of C leaders and operatives, Gregg Gardiner, has chosen

this

model for involving- or not involving, as the case may be- the community in the

new electrical co-op.

Gardiner has a long history of using this kind of

tactic of stifling descent, starting in his days as publisher of The Kaua`i

Times during the Star Wars, North Shore boating and other development and

environmental controversies, in which he led the movements

against

community opposition.

And now he has taken this methodology to

the KIUC

and proceeded to call meetings where discussion and community

input are all but ignored- where they tell the community what will be done,

without asking anyone’s permission.

And that’s why some- or possibly much-

of what is at the heart of the alleged “nit picking” is distrust of the person

in charge.

It’s probably too late now- I hope not- to do what the KIUC

should have done originally. Instead of having highly controlled meetings

around the island where they tell us what is going to happen, they could have

had a series of facilitated town meetings taking public input, concerns,

suggestions and ideas and boiled them down to a community consensus.

Many

speak of how Mr. Gardiner has only the benefit of the community at heart in

this. Rather than try to cast aspersions on his integrity or the integrity of

those who question some of the details- the place where the devil resides, not

where nit-picking occurs- we should be cutting through all the clatter and

recognize that his involvement in the process is one of the main stumbling

blocks that has caused us to get to this point- a point from which there is no

going back.

There are criticisms and questions out there and they must be

dealt with. If Mr. Gardiner really has the best interests of the community at

heart, he will consider stepping aside- with a pat on the back from a

grateful

community for what he has done so far.

Andy Parks