Cayetano wants Maha’ulepu for public

HONOLULU—Governor Ben Cayetano hopes to convince the new owners of the pristine Maha’ulepu coastal area of Kaua’i to sell the land to the state or, better yet, donate it.

The state might also take legal steps to prevent Maha’ulepu from being developed, Cayetano said last Friday.

But he voiced confidence that Steve Case, chairman of America Online and the head of a $26 million acquisition of Grove Farm Co. holdings that include Maha’ulepu, will be open to pleas of environmentalists and government officials to preserve the area.

“Steve Case was born and raised in Hawai’i. We’ll talk to him,” Cayetano said.

Maha’ulepu was among the subjects raised during a two-hour meeting between Cayetano, some of his aides and a group of editors and reporters from newspapers and the Associated Press.

On another Kaua’i-specific topic, Cayetano said the island must turn to tourism and perhaps high-technology as an economic replacement for the dwindling sugar industry. But Kauaians must also guard their island’s beauty to keep it attractive to visitors and prospective businesses, he said.

Maha’ulepu is one of Kauai’s environmental pluses. The area’s supporters, including Malama Maha’ulepu,a citizens group advocating the region’s protection, say it should be preserved for its historical and cultural value and as a refuge for wildlife and endangered sea life.

Cayetano, who has been contacted by Malama Maha’ulepu, said he wants to hear from Case or representatives “a price to acquire the area.” “Or maybe he’d be willing to give it to us,” Cayetano said, smiling, as he stood in front of a framed, color photograph of a Maha’ulepu beach leaning against the wall in his conference room. He added that the state might also be able to prohibit development of Maha’ulepu by law, if necessary.

“Kaua’i is a unique island,” Cayetano said. “It’s one of the most lush and beautiful islands in all of Hawai’i. It’s one of my favorites. It needs to be preserved that way as much as possible. That’s why we adopted the Hanalei River boating regulations. Of course, now we’re in court over that.” Three tour boat operators sued the state in opposition to rules banning them from using the river. A federal judge last Thursday ordered the state to let the companies continue their business while a hearing on the lawsuit Jan. 2 is pending.

Ironically, the tour boats are part of the tourism industry that Cayetano said is Kauai’s chief fallback in the wake of Amfac Sugar Kauai’s shutdown last month. About 400 jobs were lost, leaving only one major sugar-industry employer on an island where sugar once was king.

“It’s hard losing an old industry,” Cayetano said. “Many of the workers who are affected are hard to train for new jobs. They don’t all have the education that’s needed to move on. I don’t know how the people of Kaua’i feel about it, but tourism is the future of the island.” The same physical beauty and favorable weather that lures tourists can also draw new, non-tourism employers, such as high-tech firms, he reasoned.

“People who are involved in them are the type that are attracted by the island’s quality of life,” he said.

Cayetano said Pacific Missile Range Facility is an employer on the island that must be hung onto and cultivated. He noted that U.S. Sen. Daniel Inouye, recognizing the economic impact for Kaua’i, has helped secure funding for the Navy base.

Debate on Kaua’i focuses on the balance between tourism, environmental concerns and lifestyles of the island’s residents. Economic reality can’t be ignored, however, Cayetano said.

“I’d like to see Kaua’i remain as pristine as possible. But we must create good jobs there, too,” he said.

Editor Pat Jenkins can be reached at 245-3681 (ext. 227) and pjenkins@pulitzer.net.