LIHU’E – The Kaua`i County Council has passed a resolution urging that the state’s Board of Land and Natural Resources “continue leasing sugar lands in west Kaua`i for agricultural purposes.” “This is a very important thing for the whole outlook
LIHU’E – The Kaua`i County Council has passed a resolution urging that the
state’s Board of Land and Natural Resources “continue leasing sugar lands in
west Kaua`i for agricultural purposes.”
“This is a very important thing for
the whole outlook on the west side,” said Councilman Bryan Baptiste as the
council took the action Wednesday.
Councilman Daryl Kaneshiro said that 10
years ago on Kauai’s West Side, “there were 43,000 acres of sugar lands with
crops worth $64 million. Today, there’s about half that much acreage, but
there’s still $66 million in sugar and diversified crops. We must keep the West
Side strong.”
The council passed its pro-sugar land resolution
unanimously.
The official position of the council comes at a time when
Amfac Sugar Kaua’i is preparing to shut down its operations on the island.
Effective next month, 400 of the company’s workers will be laid off.
In
other business, the council approved two resolutions that established speed
limits and authorized stop signs on Kapuna Road in the Hanalei
district.
The traffic-related resolutions were the result of complaints
from neighborhood residents.
Staff writer Dennis Wilken can be reached
at 245-3681 (ext. 252) and[
HREF=”mailto:dwilken@pulitzer.net”>dwilken@pulitzer.net]
