• Let’s not ‘go with the flow’ • Commercial tour boats out of Hanalei Bay • Stop imagining I find state Sen. Gary Hooser’s column regarding Maha‘ulepu disturbing (“Walking tall with Malama Maha‘ulepu,” Forum, Aug. 1). While few would dispute
• Let’s not ‘go with the flow’
• Commercial tour boats out of Hanalei Bay
• Stop imagining
I find state Sen. Gary Hooser’s column regarding Maha‘ulepu disturbing (“Walking tall with Malama Maha‘ulepu,” Forum, Aug. 1).
While few would dispute that Maha‘ulepu should be preserved, his attitude seems to be that our government, the County Council and the Planning Commission are intent on turning Kaua‘i into another Maui or Honolulu and we should just accept it and go with the flow. I choose not to believe that out-of-control development can’t be stopped. Has our council and our Planning Commission ever heard of rezoning land? I applaud the “Thousand Friends of Kaua‘i” for their efforts to stop the huge Waipouli development. Unless I’ve lost my mind, (which may happen soon with all the development), they rezone ag land frequently to make way for development. If you want to see the preservation of our rural character take a drive down to Po‘ipu and see the development of hundreds of units. The huge project across from Safeway should also be noted as another project to preserve our rural character. Perhaps I’m mistaken, but I doubt that there is any law that says because land was zoned “resort” 30 years ago a developer must be allowed to build on it. Change the zoning to something else. What good are upgraded parks, schools and roadways (upgraded roadways, you’ve got to be kidding) if the roads are so packed you don’t want to endure the stress of getting there. We must face the fact that our County Council and Planning Commission are intent on destroying the rural character of Kaua‘i. As to improvement of our road system, unless the state and county are intent on building a roadway from the tree tunnel to Kealia Beach, nothing to improve our traffic situation will happen in the next 25 years. That’s how long it took for H-1 on O‘ahu from inception to completion. Our only hope to stop the dramatic change on Kaua‘i is to change the County Council to people who will listen to the voters. When the council voted against Wal-Mart on the “Big Box Bill” it was clear the majority of voters objected to the bill. (The council said it wasn’t against Wal-Mart… ha, ha, ha.) You may go with the flow as Hooser suggests but I choose to think if voters unite it can be stopped. Remember those who vote to “retain our rural character” at the next election.
Bob Yount
Kalaheo
Commercial tour boats out of Hanalei Bay
An innumerable amount of concerned people living all around the island and the world prayed and fought very hard and very long (10-15 years) to protect the most sacred Hanalei River and estuary (nursery for baby fish) from the blatant abuse of motorized commercial tour boat operators.
At one time there were over 30 motorized commercial tour boats going up and down the Hanalei River two times a day. There were over 1,000 people driving cars, tromping the river banks, walking through the park, pollution in the river, and unsafe swimming. It was a huge impact on a most special, sensitive area, spiritually, culturally and environmentally.
No more motorized commercial tour boats in Hanalei River and Makua (Tunnels Beach). Let’s not repeat the long and painful past of communities torn apart, friends and families split. We all must be responsible and care for the natural wonders and beauty of Hanalei.
The claims of the motorized commercial tour boats helping the local economy is unjustifiable. Most merchants and business owners said that they had better business after the motorized commercial tour boats were stopped. Visitors come for the peacefulness, the restfulness, the Hawaiian life style, the clean water, clean air and the natural beauty.
Lady Ann Cruises, also known as Na Pali Explorer, are not wanted or needed in the Hanalei River or Makua. To employ a few local people at the expense of so many and our precious Hanalei River is A‘ole Pono. The motorized commercial tour boats would need to start using more boats, more times a day, making more money to be able to employ more people. But who is really benefitting from this kind of exploitation? Who is really making all that money? That kind of vision takes us right back to the abuse of the river. It belongs to all of us and our children’s children times seven.
Stop. No more motorized commercial tour boats in Hanalei River. Hanalei River is not a designated harbor and should never be used as such.
Where is the enforcement of rules already put in place to protect the special management areas and a Federal Heritage River? Cease and desist orders are being ignored.
A‘ole Pono is what is happening right now with the Hanalei River. Remember the kupuna who prayed, spoke up and fought to protect Hanalei River and Makua in Ha‘ena. Remember Gramma Lahela Mahuiki, Uncle Jackie Hashimoto, Aunti Helena Maka Santos, Uncle Butch Kekahu, and so many more. Remember what they said including “Aloha ame malama i ka ‘aina.” We must remember who the host culture is, the kanaka maoli and the many values that kept the o‘hana strong and the communities prospering and at the same time conserving the integrity of the environment for centuries.
We must take care of the waters now and forever.
Sharon Prater
Hanalei
Stop imagining
Wonderful letters by Michael Wells and Jen Viets (Letters, July 31) imagining a Kaua‘i that is totally self-sufficient and “green.” Yes, there are several groups moving in a self-sufficiency direction and striving to make a difference for our local residents. Unfortunately, those efforts are currently captive to a one-step-forward, two-steps-back perpetual treadmill. There are so many thousands of new construction units planned for Kaua’i by developers descending like “monkeys from the Wizard of Oz” your imagined utopia will never be realized. Your “self-sufficiency” dream will fade to black before you have a chance to make a difference for our island and people. Oh, there may be a few small enclaves of “fringe” green groups around as on Oahu, but there will be no “green” Kaua’i, and our way of life will cease to exist as we know it.
Help stop runaway development and you might just have an outside chance of success. Don’t help, and you might as well build a subdivision on your “self-sufficiency” land, make a ton of money off the Californians descending like locusts as the developers advertise their pieces of paradise, and move to Easter Island. Let’s quit “imagining” and actually do something to realistically succeed.
Gordon Oswald
Kapa‘a
