Letters for Monday, August 1, 2022

Mahalo for Kaumakani Plantation Reunion

Mahalo to the Kaumakani Plantation Reunion Commitee, the workers and the cook(s). It was a fun, two-day event up in the church that sits in the canefields sometime ago. There was entertainment and historical information and pictures. Most of all, we got to see old-time people and friends who once lived in Kaumakani/Makaweli/Olokele Sugar plantation camps.

There was one of my classmates (Bridget Planas) whom I haven’t seen since graduation from high school some 51 years ago. It was nice visiting with her. Both our mothers were close friends, and my siblings and I would go up to their (Bridget’s) house with my my mother as young kids.

Again, much mahalo to the commitee for making it a great two days of fun, friends, historical info, food and entertainment.

Howard Tolbe, ‘Ele‘ele

Beware of affordable-housing con men

The graft just keeps on coming! Well, it’s on the “Big Island,” and it’s almost $11 million. Nobody noticed for six years? No inkling of a “wait, what? Where’s the money or show me the … (wait for it) … AFFORDABLE HOUSING!

Yes folks, that’s right. In this time of an immense housing shortage there are grifters who will take the roof from right over your head. But wait — you never even got the roof. Imagine entire homes stuffed into the pockets of four guys. I know, innocent until proven guilty.

Yes, everyone gets their “day in court.” Alan Rudo pleaded guilty. He should only need a couple days of court time — plead — sentenced — goodbye. Will the taxpayers ever see that money? But I have to ask where was the oversight for six years? No one noticed where millions of dollars went? Didn’t anyone, connected to Paul Sulla Jr., Gary Zamber and Rajesh Budhabhattie (who all pleaded not guilty), notice anything at all?

Maybe they’ll turn on each other, as often happens with people of limited integrity. Their attorneys have declined to comment. Maybe they could say “Nothing to see here, you houseless people. Move along.”

Let’s hope the money is recovered, the guilty pay a personal price and the counties and state of Hawai‘i institute better oversight and require more accountability. Most importantly, the counties and state of Hawai‘i need to make affordable housing available to state residents.

Lawrence Hornbeck, Kilauea

Now is right time for political change

Miss Molly Jones. Obviously, you’re a Republican.

Yes, we do need the changes very badly, but the changes should not be of the party, but of those people who’d do the job.

Remove all those who have been in office too long, become too complacent, and truly too lazy to do anything for us. Yes, we need new faces, new ideas and new people. And, by the way, the changes should not be based on ethnicity, but again, of those who’ll work for us, do the jobs and not do them for their own selfish benefits.

So, remove Kouchi, Tokioka, Nakamura and Morikawa. When doing that, remove all those present councilmembers.

Do it now. This is the right time for it.

Ray Domingo, Lihu‘e

Keep Kamalu Road bridge closed

I know it is a forlorn hope, but I speak for many of my fellow Kamalu Road residents when I say I wish the bridge could be permanently closed.

When the road is open, we might as well be living on Kuhio Highway. The traffic is non-stop, and the speeding is deplorable. The fact that Kamalu is only about 2-1/2 miles long and the straight portions comprise perhaps a mile means that even at 60 mph, the most time one could gain is one minute. Some exceed that speed as if this were a race track.

There are many kupuna and keiki who live here. People walk their dogs, push their strollers, go to the Nounou West trailhead. There are no sidewalks and the sides of the road are frequently muddy and slippery, so many walk on the road. Drivers blow their horns, curse, tell walkers to get the ———— off the road.

If only we could keep the bridge closed.

Donna Carsten, Wailua Homesteads