• Toilets leaving visitors with a bad taste • Mahalo councilmen, for taking a stand • Ignorant comments show lack of empathy • Emergency response should be required • Settle the case, save the taxpayers Toilets leaving visitors with a
• Toilets leaving visitors with a bad taste • Mahalo councilmen, for taking a stand • Ignorant comments show lack of empathy • Emergency response should be required • Settle the case, save the taxpayers
Toilets leaving visitors with a bad taste
Mayor Carvalho, I have always supported you and the article in The Garden Island with regards to your assessment of the condition of the restrooms at Black Pot Beach only reaffirms my trust in you.
Now, the condition of the restrooms at Poipu Beach Park (maybe others) are just as bad and have been for over a year. I think this may be a case of the people who work for you “don’t tell the king he has no pants.”
It can’t be that expensive to provide our valuable residents and visitors who spend big bucks living on and visiting Kauai a decent place to go to the bathroom. Poipu should be a show place for Kauai.
John Glover, Kalaheo
Mahalo councilmen, for taking a stand
I would like to give a big and I mean really big Mahalo to councilmen Gary Hooser and Tim Bynum for taking a stand regarding the chemical companies here on Kauai.
The GMO bill they are proposing is a giant step in the right direction. Among other things, it will require mandatory disclosures, buffer zones, moratorium on expansion, ban on open air testing of experimental pesticides and GMO products, and signage when pesticides are being sprayed.
Let’s give them all the support we can to continue this uphill battle. The quality of life for our communities and our island depend on this.
Linda Bothe, Kalaheo
Ignorant comments show lack of empathy
Regarding the two letters about my nephew Kytin Sukehira, they were disrespectful to the Ohana.
Like who does Doug Clark from Kalaheo think he is? Saying “This keiki-crime-porn image is not what your Kauai subscribers read the newspaper for, I suggest you wake up and focus more on serving the real community’s real needs.”
Really, keiki crime porn? If it bothers you don’t read it. My nephew has been through so much and to see such ignorant comments like this upsets me.
These people have no idea what he has gone through and is still going through. They should put themselves in his shoes, better yet, look in the mirror and ask themselves “Am I perfect? (I doubt that). Here’s a suggestion: Mind your own business and don’t be such debbie downers.
And to Ann Luckett from Princeville, why even write about it if you’re going to say, “I have no doubt it was a memorable day for this brave little boy but who was in charge?”
Seriously, it’s a play gun and he was so happy that his wish came true, it’s called the full effect. It’s not your child, so get over it.
Kalili Pavao, Kilauea
Emergency response should be required
I support Bill 2491 and I strongly support Kauai County Council including in it an emergency response plan. The west side deserves this in the very least.
Two months ago, a fertilizer storage facility in West, Texas, caught fire. Fifteen of the first responders died, 200 people were injured and the whole town of 2,000 was devastated. This could easily happen to us with 3.5 tons of restricted-use pesticides being used on our island each year by the chemical companies.
If this vast quantity of restricted-use-pesticide were to explode or catch fire what would happen? How would people on the west side get to safety if the road was covered in toxic smoke? How would firemen and policemen reach them to help?
I found a document of the Internet, “Pesticide Fires — Prevention, Control, and Cleanup” prepared by Armed Forces Pest Management Board Ad Hoc Committee on Prevention and Control of Pesticide Fires.”
It outlines that to have a proper emergency response plan in place requires a significant outlay of time and energy. It requires upfront training of response personnel including firemen/policemen/Coast Guard, having proper equipment for their safety, building water runoff dams to avoid contamination of the environment, equipping the local hospitals and physicians to treat those effected, preparing the population to know how and where to evacuate, having a first aid site close to where the fire is and having alternate response and evacuation routes if any are congested with smoke. Who will pay for all this?
I think the chemical companies that are using the best of our ag land for their genetic experimentation laboratory should pay for this.
It is time to require that safety standards are upheld that will keep our people, land, water and air healthy. We deserve an emergency response plan and an environmental impact statement in the very least.
Leslie Larsen, Anahola
Settle the case, save the taxpayers
According to The Garden Island, the County Attorney is requesting council approve expending an additional $75,000 for special counsel representation of the County of Kauai, another $75,000 to represent Shaylene Iseri-Carvalho, and yet another $75,000 for services provided for Sheilah Miyake, all in the case of Tim Bynum vs. County of Kauai, et al. This is not the first such request.
I have never understood why the County Attorney’s office does not have the staff or ability to represent the county in a court of law. I thought that was the whole purpose of that office.
Apparently, they are so inept that we taxpayers need to pay another $225,000 to continue this case. Along with prior requests for county funds, taxpayers are now “on the hook” for roughly half a million dollars with no settlement in sight.
What concerns me even more is that the principles in this case are or have been our own county officials, and apparently have no concern that their constituents are paying the bill.
While I understand that personal reputations may have been at stake, I think it is time the parties reach agreement and settle. I fail to see any benefit for either party to continue this action, and I think it is unfair to the Kauai taxpayers to do so.
Of course, I am not an attorney …
Steve Hansen, Kekaha
