Letters for Tuesday, June 24, 2008

• Thank you, Mr. Mayor

• Aloha, Bryan

Thank you, Mr. Mayor

Readers of The Garden Island know that politically I’m a one-issue man who works to improve our ocean safety program. Mayor Baptiste was a remarkable friend to this effort.

I spoke and lobbied, he listened and delivered.

At this sad moment, I won’t review in detail his administration’s accomplishments in this area, but I will say that many people are alive and many families are intact because of Bryan J. Baptiste, and wherever heaven is, he is right now being lovingly embraced by all their guardian angels.

Thank you, Mr. Mayor, for all your work in this area, not to mention all the other matters you addressed.

May your grieving family find some comfort in knowing how blessed Kaua‘i and her people have been to have had a mayor who cared so much about us.

Dr. Monty Downs

Kaua‘i

Aloha, Bryan

(Yesterday) I heard Kaua‘i had lost one of Kaua‘i’s nicest mayors that I have known for many years. I know the sadness of it and it was a dreadful shock to me.

I had the privilege of knowing Bryan in years past, in high school, playing tennis regularly at Wailua Houselots park and he was no push-over, a well-respected tennis athlete.

I supported him a lot when he opened the Wailua market store. And most times just to stop by and just “talk story.”

I worked for the Kaua‘i County for 22 years and moved to Arizona in 2000.

The last time I met Bryan again was at my brother’s death celebration and spreading of his ashes at the “Lihi” in 2004. Shook hands, talk story and took a picture with him.

Bryan will be well missed.

My thoughts go out to the Baptiste family, please accept my deepest sympathy and I can well appreciate what a great loss this must be to the family as well as to Kaua‘i.

We hope that time will soon heal our sorrow.

Aloha, Bryan!

Gerald Toki

Glendale, Ariz.