Though rainy conditions hampered an “informational picket” orchestrated by members of the Niumalu community Thursday, protesters still felt plenty of community support. “I have mixed feelings about it,” Niumalu resident Don Greer said. “The level of awareness on the island
Though rainy conditions hampered an “informational picket” orchestrated by members of the Niumalu community Thursday, protesters still felt plenty of community support.
“I have mixed feelings about it,” Niumalu resident Don Greer said. “The level of awareness on the island has at least doubled. There is a lot more people that know about our problem.”
And that problem, according to Niumalu residents, is the diesel exhaust fumes that often drift over their homes from cruise ships that are docked in Nawiliwili Harbor.
Greer said he felt support from cruise ship workers, visitors and taxicab and tour bus operators. He also said there was a lot of cars driving by, honking horns in support.
“A vast majority of people were for us,” Greer said.
On the negative side, Greer said he was a little disappointed with supporter turnout.
“We got a little rained out,” Greer said with a chuckle. “From 7 a.m. to 5 p.m., it was basically two of us all day long, me and someone else. The maximum all day was 10 people at 5:30 p.m. We were expecting more people at 5:30, but the rain was just pouring.”
But Greer also thought it was odd that there were more law enforcement officers than protesters.
According to Greer’s count, there were 18 Kaua‘i police officers and other state law enforcement officers present during the protest, not to mention the presence of the United States Coast Guard on the water in boats.
Kaua‘i Police Department Capt. Ale Quibilan said there was a larger law enforcement presence because of where the protest was being held.
“The issue here had to do with harbor operations,” Quibilan said. “Harbor safety was an issue and that was the big concern.”
And because the harbor was where the protest was staged, it was also an issue of Homeland Security, Quibilan said.
With estimates of approximately 100 people expected to show up at the protest circulating through e-mails, Quibilan said the department decided to be prepared for any event.
“We wanted to ensure their First Amendment right was protected,” Quibilan said. “There could have been someone there against their point of view.”
According to Quibilan, state sheriff officers, KPD officers and DOCARE — or Division of Conservation and Resources Enforcement — officers were present during the protest.
Quibilan said that there were about 15 to 18 officers at one time during pau hana, but once the rain started and nothing developed with the protest, some of the officers were sent home.
Although there was a high law enforcement presence, Greer acknowledged “they (police officers) have to do what they have to do.”
Jimmy Trujillo of Hui-R said he came by on his lunch break and after work to show his support.
“The police presence was an overwhelming show of force,” Trujillo said. “It was amazing to see how long and how many there were as far as paid officers doing nothing except monitoring activity that was quite benign.”
Police presence aside, Greer said, he plans on holding more pickets in the coming weeks.
“If we let it die, we’re going to die,” Greer said.
He said Thursday’s picket specifically targeted Norwegian Cruise Line’s “Pride of America” ship because NCL opposed a bill that was later deferred in the Legislature earlier this year.
The bill proposed a three-year pilot program to determine the level and environmental impact of air pollution caused by bunker fuel burning in cruise vessels docked or moored in Nawiliwili Harbor.
The bill was originally introduced as a ban on commercial passenger vessels burning bunker fuel containing 1,000 or more parts-per-million of sulfur within five miles of Nawiliwili Harbor.
In their testimony, NCL officials said the cost to convert to the cleaner-burning fuel would be significant, and could possibly add thousands of dollars to each voyage and impact the bottom line. The state was called upon to first evaluate the option of switching to other fuels.
In a statement from NCL America regarding the protest, sent yesterday via e-mail, the company said it takes seriously any health and safety issues of individuals on board the vessels and in the communities where they operate.
“We respect the demonstrators right to express their opinions as long as it does not endanger the safety of any members of the community, our guests or our employees,” reads the statement. “NCL America operates within all regulatory or health requirements. We remain committed to continue working with the state, regulatory agencies and the community on this issue.”
Other cruise ships that visit Kaua‘i, including Holland America Line and Princess Cruises, are not immune from picketing by the Niumalu community, Greer said.
“We will contact Holland America and Princess Cruises and ask them if they are going to burn cleaner fuel,” Greer said. “If not, we might picket them too.”
• Rachel Gehrlein, staff writer, can be reached at 245-3681 (ext. 225) or rgehrlein@kauaipubco.com
