• Punish politicians • Who will enforce 2491? • Don’t let gossip influence 2491 • Walmart posts amazing numbers • Spray could spread far Punish politicians All the politicians who are causing the government shutdown should be furloughed, but should show
• Punish politicians • Who will enforce 2491? • Don’t let gossip influence 2491 • Walmart posts amazing numbers • Spray could spread far
Punish politicians
All the politicians who are causing the government shutdown should be furloughed, but should show up to work without pay and get things resolved.
Then, when this mess is resolved, these politicians should not have their pay retroactive for the amount of days lost. They get paid from the day of the resolution. This would be their punishment for messing around with the lives of American people.
Howard Tolbe
Eleele
Who will enforce 2491?
If this Bill 2491 goes through, how will it be enforced, who will do the testing, ultimately how will it be paid for? Will the people of Kauai pay? Will increasing our taxes pay for this? If this means we the taxpayers have to pay for it whether we support the bill or not, then I’m against it.
I don’t feel I should pay for anything that I didn’t have a say in. I feel that people are being railroaded into making a hasty decision just for the benefit of people who have gotten sick, but don’t really know what caused it. It’s like a witch hunt that people need something to blame for their health problems, now and in the future, before all the facts are in. I think there are other issues on the island more important that the County Council should be concerned with, but are being overshadowed by this Bill 2491.
Next year is an election time and this issue will definitely affect who I will not vote for!
Michael Murata
Hanapepe
‘Don’t let gossip influence 2491
The problem that Bill 2491 addresses is not a matter of regulation, but oversight. If the current regulations were being checked and enforced, there would already be in place county staff performing the task of checking if pesticide use and farming practices are compliant. I’m guessing the council is mostly unaware of what the current regulation on the problems are, anyway.
But with 2491, we have the council proposing ways that 2491 can be enforced, like where to get the needed money for the staff and who to charge for it.
And as far as urgency, that’s totally bogus. This is not urgent. I’ve spent 20 years on Kauai, starting in 1965, spending my childhood here, and our house was so close to a cane field every time they burned, our yard and house was filled with harsh smoke.
Add that crop dusting was how pesticides got done then, and I’m sure the smoke included a mix of burnt cane and nastier pesticides as well. So hitting the panic button on this and threatening to freak again, like people did on the Superferry illegal boycott, is nutty.
The real damage would be lost industry and lost jobs. Any lost jobs/industry should sue the pants off the county, for justice. And how is Kauai so much smarter than all of the U.S.A. that our genius level intellect knows real safety, not the kind the other suckers live with?
Gossip and fear mongering is all 2491 is.
Barney Blankenship
Kapaa
Walmart posts amazing numbers
In response to Mary Mulhall letter (TGI, Sept. 23), I respect the fact that Mary took the time to voice her opinion and respond to my letter. I especially like her take on our government and how it runs.
I would like to shine a bit of light on my letter and its intent. It had nothing to do with, as you said, “In reply to Mr. Steve Martins’ letter suggesting that the United States economy be run like Walmart.”
My letter was primarily written to share some facts that I came across about Walmart (astonishing facts). I was amazed to learn about this mega giant and what makes it tick — a mega giant with its role model success.
What intrigued me most were the phenomenal minds behind what makes it all happen. It’s because of their knowledge, experience and management skills they bring to the table that makes it all happen. I merely suggested that we either hire them or elect them to office so they can fix our economy. After all, Mary Mulhall, it’s going to take a lot more experience than that of a community organizer with a couple years as a junior senator to bring this country back on track.
Steve Martin
Kapaa
Spray could spread far
Beautiful, fragrant Maiapilo flowers were in full bloom on the rim of Makauwahi just after sunrise one morning in August. Our house guest, a gifted botanical illustrator, was having the time of her life. This is an ancient, enchanting place. Haupu stood majestic in the early morning light to the east. In the morning mist on the plain below, one could almost visualize the pili grass hale sketched by Hiram Bingham in 1824. But our reverie was rudely shattered this morning when we realized this was no natural mist.
Like some War-of-the-Worlds alien war machine, a large, lumbering tractor was carrying an unwieldy boom-spray rig that was discharging countless gallons of liquid on to a perfectly uniform field. The ocean was blown to whitecaps, the trades were strong and gusting, this was going to be a great windsurf day. We were alarmed to plainly see large quantities of spray being caught up in the gusts, tumbling and swirling up, carried rapidly away downwind, translucent and visible in the morning light for quite a distance.
This contemporary morning mist was potentially deadly. Don’t know what they were spraying. No way to know — yet. But the operator climbed out at one point and we could see that he was wearing coveralls and some sort of mask. These agro-chemical companies harp on ad nauseam that they “follow the labels.”
No label would allow spraying restricted-use pesticides under the turbulent conditions we were witnessing. Pity the thousands of unknowing visitors and residents downwind of these swirling, suspect toxins.
A quick flight on Google Earth reveals some disturbing facts: Residential neighborhoods, churches, food establishments, Poipu Beach Park, and the big resort properties are in close proximity to this large agro-chemical operation. Koloa Elementary School is not that far. Aue! Our neighborhood is within reach; the changing winds blow their biotech poisons far and wide. The pristine reefs of Mahaulepu suffer the runoff.
Common sense, human ethics, and our Hawaii State Constitution dictate protecting public health from the practices of these profit-hungry, agro-chemical giants.
Bill 2491 is pono.
Juan Myers
Omao
