•Doggone tired • Not so lucky tourists • Old idea of ownership Doggone tired Kudos for the great “Kindness begins at home” letter (Oct. 28). My neighborhood has large dogs kept in cages (pets, not hunting dogs). These are large
•Doggone tired
• Not so lucky tourists
• Old idea of ownership
Doggone tired
Kudos for the great “Kindness begins at home” letter (Oct. 28).
My neighborhood has large dogs kept in cages (pets, not hunting dogs). These are large animals that are never exercised and appear to be mere possessions, certainly not my idea of pets. When they bark it sounds as if they are pleading for “help.”
It goes without saying their barking is constant and of course disturbs everyone close to them during times that should be restful and quiet. The owner has never shown any regard for these animals or a shred of respect for the neighbors. Another party contains his small dogs in a cage kept in a hot garage.
This behavior is not my idea of how one treats their pets. It is cruelty and abuse! Why do they do it? Because they can. The fact that we have no laws to protect these poor animals and the neighbors that must listen to the constant pleas of help in the form of frustrated barking is obscene!
And yes, there are children present in these situations, what are they being taught about caring for innocent animals and respect for your neighbors? When are the bureaucrats on Kaua‘i going to wake up and pass some laws to protect animals and humans alike in these situations?
I don’t think I’ll hold my breath.
Liz Stevens, Kalaheo
Not so lucky tourists
On the night of Oct. 26 at a popular Eastside hotel, a nice couple from Germany got burglarized when they were sleeping.
The big waves were dancing and they were unable to hear the intruders. When making their reservations many months ago they asked specifically for a room on the first floor to make sure to be put to sleep by the sounds of the ocean waves. (Little did they know that it is the best place to be robbed).
The thieves took everything they had in the room — suitcases, purse, wallets, cosmetics, expensive digital camera, and not to forget all their medicine. Their rented car was also taken, which was found a mile from the resort. The couple described the police officers as being helpful, especially the investigator, compassionate and willing to go to the extra mile to help.
Quite the contrary with the hotel management, who were unwilling to give the help those people deserved. After some discussion they were offered a room on the second floor, not for free but maybe safer. Safety should be the No. 1 consideration for the guests.
Thank god they had left their passport in the resort’s safe, otherwise they would be up a creek and have to deal with more complications for returning home.
This unfortunate couple went to the hospital to have new prescriptions for their medicine and felt that the price was phenomenal ($720). They had to wait and wasted so much of their precious vacation time.
I tried to reassured them that no matter where they went, the price would be the same or higher with the possibility of a longer wait.
I personally have nothing but praise for the service I received day or night from the doctors and nurses.
After hearing about this horrible incident directly from them, I felt compelled to be of some help. I offered to bring them to Lihu‘e, they declined because they were still traumatized by their experience, so we took the next step. They followed me to Lihu‘e in their new rented car.
They wanted to purchase some of the new items they lost from their room, knowing too well that the digital camera wasn’t replaceable. They settled on a disposable one after the recommendations of an angel from an activities center in Kapa‘a. This lady showed so much compassion and offered the help they so desperately needed in order to try to forget their bad nightmare.
Mission accomplished. They even rebooked their Na Pali tour for the next few days which they had already booked the previous day and were not able to go.
The inconvenience of having to cancel your credit card is enough work without having to wait for the next day to be able to purchase the things you need.
Because of one person’s calm and positive attitude they are not going to cancel their vacation plans, they will finish their vacation here on Kaua‘i and even go as planned to Maui, Big Island and O‘ahu.
I feel so sad not only for the foreigners but for all the tourists who have had a bad vacation. So my question is: Why are we spending millions of dollars to promote tourism when we can’t take care of the few that are already here?
It looks like you get better served by staying in a condo where the security is 24/7. So let’s change this by practicing what Hawai‘i is well known for: lots of aloha.
Leonie Dabancourt, Kapa‘a
Old idea of ownership
In response to Juan Wilson‘s letter (“New idea of ownership needed now,” Nov. 2), I have been hoping for that kind of outrage at the theft of Major’s Bay, Juan’s neighborhood, but not a peep or protest.
Why is this place singled out? Because of the nudity?
As to a new idea of ownership, how about an old one, actually the only one: all the lands and areas Juan speaks of were formerly the Kingdom’s 99-year leases that should have been returned to the Kingdom but instead were illegally changed at the Bureau of Conveyances to “ownership.”
Juan doesn’t speak for fishermen. And due to many, not all, of the opening-up and free access debates, the fishermen have suffered. Their areas have turned into happy trails/nature walks with guardrails, trash cans, crowds, erosion, suntan lotion, idiots on the reefs/rocks and just in general free-for-alls for nosy people with no respect who approach them and scare away fish.
Areas that get proclaimed as “public access” most times lose all the protective brush and trees to make way for parking lots and the comfort of beach-goers.
As an activist voice, where is Juan’s true loyalty? Access is still there at Larsen’s for the fishermen and they are OK with the proposal. After all, they’ve been the ones taking the cracks trying to put food on their tables as opposed to lying on a beach all day.
I don’t like fences or gated communities either and the whole situation has become unbalanced; usually against the first people of the land.
Elaine Dunbar, Lihu‘e
