•‘King Asing’ •Hit the showers, Kaipo •Congratulations! ‘King Asing’ Regarding the article, “Following the rules” (The Garden Island, June 5) and one council member’s “iron-fisted” attempts to control all Kaua’i County Council proceedings, this is outrageous and should be the
•‘King Asing’
•Hit the showers, Kaipo
•Congratulations!
‘King Asing’
Regarding the article, “Following the rules” (The Garden Island, June 5) and one council member’s “iron-fisted” attempts to control all Kaua’i County Council proceedings, this is outrageous and should be the single biggest issue on the island right now.
Nothing can be right if there is not open discussion and decision making. This should be Civics 101 to any reasonable, sound of mind person still having all of their mental faculties.
What is Kaipo Asing afraid of? The council members are all equal. They should each be able to get their issues on the agenda and put them to a vote. Does Mr. Asing presume that he knows everything and that there is no benefit to discussion, information presentation, and debate?
Anything reasonable should be let on the agenda. Let the merits of the ideas be voted on up or down. What is Mr. Asing afraid of?
Brad Parsons, Hanalei
Hit the showers, Kaipo
Two stories from the cover of Thursday’s edition of The Garden Island caught my eye — the challenging of Kaiser Kaipo’s abuse of administrative authority, and the fish that coughed up the golden watch. How do these two stories connect?
For over 26 years, Coach Bill “Kaipo” Asing has dutifully served the good people of Kaua‘i. In his earlier years he was a champion of the opposition, fighting the good fight, railing against the entrenched power of the do-nothing ‘good old boys.’ In later years (after learning the wilily ways of those good old buys, and aging like a fine wine himself), behold, the decades long transformation is now complete: Coach Kaipo is now king.
After coming in fourth place in the at-large council race in November, whom else would so brazenly wield the power of the chair by withholding his initials to censor and silence any proposal he personally deems not worthy of discussion? Long live King Kaipo — the oldest and bestest of the “good old boys!”
Because of the chummy nature of entrenched power in our tiny island government, tradition (crafted long ago by the good old boys) allows the chair to serve at the pleasure of the majority on the council.
Therefore, the question on everyone’s lips on the island to Derek Kawakami, Daryl Kaneshiro and Dickie Chang should be this: Does it actually please you that Kaipo is censoring the elected representatives of more than 20,000 voters on Kaua‘i by blocking their proposals from even being placed on the council agenda for honest debate?
Derek, Daryl and Dickie, do you think it is consistent with fundamental democratic principles that one beloved tutu man be able to single-handedly muzzle issues he personally does not wish to discuss by withholding his initials?
Derek, Daryl and Dickie, do you think this is OK? If “yes,” please explain why to the voting public so a referendum can be made next election cycle. If “no,” then Derek, Daryl and Dickie: What are you going to do about it?
Here is one suggestion, and where the fishy gold watch comes in: Retire Kaipo.
After decades of service to the good people of Kaua‘i, Kaipo Asing (and everyone on Kaua‘i) has more than earned the rewards of Kaipo’s retirement, so let’s give it to him! For the good of the island and the people of Kaua‘i as well as Kaipo’s grandkids and great-grandkids who would love to spend more time with him, I ask Curt Carish to offer the gold watch to Kaipo as a retirement gift. Both Kaipo and Kaua‘i really deserve it!
To sweeten the deal, a bakery on the island could whip up one gigantic chocolate cake (perhaps in the shape of Kaua‘i) to honor the man, and we could have an island-wide Kaipo retirement party, celebrating the life and accomplishments of Kaipo Asing, and wishing him a well-deserved and speedy retirement. Perhaps if Kaipo does not read this, it could even be a surprise!
Years of holding signs on the side of the road, 26 years on the council, even a brief stint as Mayor Kaipo, and then a gold watch from the belly of a fish — What a tall-tale to tell his grandkids!
From one coach to another, “Great game, well-played. Now hit the showers, Kaipo!”
Jonathan Jay, Kalaheo
Congratulations!
The excitement of the event is still happening, parties are happening, friends getting together before leaving in August — all good fun.
As things wind down, there’s an option for graduates to share the joy a little bit more.
Two friends of mine started a high school in Ngomano, Kenya, Clay International School, Project Education, Inc. Next year the first graduating class will commence. The 36 Kenyan students are looking forward to their big day.
Even though the students have to wear uniforms, the goal is to make their graduation more significant.
To help with the ceremony, we’re asking students on Kaua‘i if they would like to donate their cap and gown to this project.
If you are interested, please contact me at 241-1402.
All the best to you, graduates.
Terese Barich, Koloa
