Give Derek his opportunity to succeed or fail
Give Derek his opportunity to succeed or fail
I read the article in the Garden Island that some of the Council Members were unhappy about being left out of decisions regarding pandemic rule making and reporting this past couple of months. It seemed the complaint was more about not being “the first to know” or informed through channels before reading it in the newspaper. We all want to know first. I know none of your ran for your positions just to be first to know something. To that end, I was disappointed. We have some really great city council members (minus one) and a really good mayor. We have energy, we have intellect, we have history and we have some really thoughtful people running our government, we are so blessed here.
Sometimes the means justify the ends, sometimes not. But this is a pretty unique and historical event in our lifetimes.
This leadership has great opportunity to thrive right now and I hate to see insignificant differences, that matter not, divide such a dynamic group of leaders. Council members, please give Derek his opportunity to succeed or fail and keep your issues behind the doors. If you are not close to Derek, then start talking. Kauai is changing before our eyes and you have the opportunity to shape the future and learn from the mistakes of the past. Let’s do great work!
Douglas Blakely, Princeville
Today’s story: “LIHU‘E — Could a soft opening of the state to Japanese visitors be the first strategy in establishing the state’s economy and reinventing tourism?”
This raises another question: Is it proper for Kauai, or the State, to deny timeshare owners access to their properties while welcoming foreign tourists to visit instead of them? I think not.
Bob T
Mayor Derek Kawakami:
Either 1) pressure Guv Ige to figure out quickly how to open Kauai to mainland tourism or 2) start planning how to help Kauaiians BIG TIME economically or 3) start readying for resident serious unrest in a big way.
Opening tourism to visitors from Japan? This is Oahu-centric thinking. The fact that the legislature and the Governor does not even consider that this benefits Oahu and does little for the outer islands speaks to the many problems of the State elected officials. It’s time to escalate to our Federal representatives. This is more than just the constitutional issues. This is basic unfairness that is so common that it isn’t recognized.
No one at the state level or local level is considering what the shutdown is doing to the small historic towns. With another couple of months without tourism, the small historic towns will not survive . Opening tourism to visitors from Japan will do nothing for Kauai. Opening up to Japan will be worse than doing nothing. It will allow Oahu to prosper. Please tell us that there is a plan. Because after months, we hear nothing but incomprehensible ideas that will be challenged for being unconstitutional. . Sadly, our state government doesn’t recognize the issues. It’s time to escalate.
Our Governor is primarily to blame for his egregious quarantine overreactions and his inability to comprehend evidence vs. hype. We are all suffering the consequences of shutting down our economy.
If our Mayor wishes to help our Ohana, he needs to get out of his office, talk to the unemployed, to the protesters who have lost their businesses, and to the families of the 9 suicides this month.
My Hair is not on Fire!
Let’s hope Derek’s failure will not be his continued isolation of the citizenry, masks, 6’, hand washing, outdoor lines, stay inside, all unhealthy when you look deeper, but if the failure of our citizens to be allowed exposure to this flu virus keeps them from internally developing natural immunity, when the virus comes round again, the unprotected, especially the sick elderly will suffer perhaps this time in epic proportions only to Have the subsequent deaths put on the shoulders of Derek and what seems like his ignorant medical advisors here and on Oahu.
Medical Care makes their trillions on disease and are profit driven business people.
Perhaps we need advisors who rely on Health to make their income.