Letters to the Editor for Sunday — September 28, 2003

• Road shock

• Cooking rights

• More on cooking

Road shock

The most shocking part of Al Paterson’s factual, right on target story about Kaua‘i’s horrendous traffic problems wasn’t just that these problems are going to get worse before they get better, the fact that none of our elected officials have done a thing about addressing this critical matter is the inexcusable part. This isn’t a “just happened” problem it has been staring us in the face for many years but why are we always reluctant to be pro-active with issues instead of just hoping they will disappear if we ignore them?

Ten years ago the DOT had Island meetings at which bypass routes the public wanted from Hanama‘ulu to Kealia were discussed. People picked the route they wanted but the plan died for lack of funds! Now we resurrect this plan but, as Mr. Paterson points out, when all the high density projects get going we will need double the road carrying capacity the DOT is planning for now.

Have the people we put in office really been that blind and oblivious to this impending disaster? Why weren’t ALL developers mandated to upgrade the infrastructure – roads, parks, low income housing – before they got their final permits to build?

The DOT didn’t take 10 years to build the Kapa‘a by-pass road. So now that we are in this quagmire that will only get worse, why not at least try the roundabout method that a woman from England suggested and Mr. Paterson also brought up? At other recent DOT meetings citizens have also suggested using our cane haul roads as alternate means of moving from point A to point B.

So before digging ourselves any deeper into this hole we are already in, let us: 1) Make all developers contribute to upgrading our infrastructure before starting work 2) Get the HTA to use a percent of their funds to better and maintain our infrastructure as Gary Hooser is proposing and get the State to give us more TAT money for the same purpose. 3) Get the State Department of Highways to use the millions of dollars they are allocating for this bike path to use it for the high priority traffic mess.

Glenn Mickens

Kapa‘a

Cooking rights

In the Saturday, September 20 issue I was relieved to read in the third paragraph of your article on the front page of the paper that the “council members were taken aback” by a provision that required a person to notify the fire department before they cooked huli huli chicken or set imu fires for roasting pigs.

I felt great concern with this considered provision. I want to know how many times the fire department is called for out-of-control fires generated by cooking huli huli chicken and imu burnings? How many “outdoor baths” have burned down because a wood-burning stove was used for whatever reason?

I am in total support of taking action whenever there are conditions that are generated that become a viable threat to the family, neighborhood, community or our Garden Island. I really do not support one more piece of legislation that supports conformity rather than personal responsibility.

If in fact, the Kaua‘i Fire Department’s intention as stated by Capt. Yee is…”to make them cognizant of what they are doing when they use fire outdoors,” I would like to suggest using the time, energy and money for education in the community, if that is truly necessary. If this provision considers these family practices of cooking huli huli chicken and imu burnings dangerous, before imposing one more legislation that, in my opinion, impinges on the personal right and responsibility of the residents and citizens of Hawai‘i to follow their traditions with out being penalized – what about education, communication and cooperation to resolve an issue that seems to be a non-issue at this time for the community.

Could we refocus and support our council’s energy on the non-traditional misuse of the land through illegal grubbing and grading? This seems to be an obvious and viable need that the “whole county” has a interest in – including several generations yet to come.

Kay Snow-Davis

Kapa‘a

More on cooking

Let me get this straight, in a move to keep up with the Jones’, Captain Yee of the KFD wants to upgrade the county fire code? Citing isolated incidents, which often occurred due to human negligence? Unlike our outer island neighbors, People of Kaua‘i light fires daily for one reason or another, accidents due to outdoor fires are minute in comparison to the percentage of fires lit.

The average house fire is due to human negligence or faulty electrical wiring. Will Captain Yee suggest all those who want to use their stoves or ovens let them know they have one in their homes and to call them “10 minutes” before they cook too? We take more risks of “accidents” happening jumping into our cars to go to work, or hopping on an airplane to fly off island, and these are highly regulated modes of transportation, yet accidents still occur.

Instead of creating codes that encroach upon our unique freedom and lifestyle, how’s about working on a solution to the encroachment of the land guzzling affluent, or limit the amount of incoming future residents which will definitely put a strain on the islands resources and cause irreparable damage to our delicate island life. Citing a burned tent or a partially burned cabin is a weak argument to justify regulations against a hundred plus years of island living.

Dominic Acain

Kekaha