VOICES: An opportunity to diversify delegation

So, Jimmy Tokioka has now resigned his elected position as a member of the state House of Representatives.

I say, good for him! He can now spread his wings and try another field of endeavor. Jimmy has done an awful lot of good things for Kaua‘i, and I am sure, with his experience, he will also continue to do good in his new position as deputy superintendent of the state Department of Transportation.

I salute him for his dedication, not only to the County of Kaua‘i, but especially to the people of Kaua‘i as well. Jimmy, I wish you well!

With that, the process has already started to find a replacement for the unexpired term of Jimmy’s position. The newspaper ran a few names — all former members of the county council. It sounds like it is a done deal. Is it?

The people mentioned as possible replacements for the position are all good and smart people. They did respectable jobs in their time on the council and have done a lot of good for the county.

But is the county council a stepping stone or training ground to an appointment to the House or to a higher position in government? Is council membership even a qualification?

The County Charter is silent on that, so here is my proposal:

The former members of the council so named in the media do not have a monopoly on smarts and goodness. Yes, they are all smart and good.

However, I am sure that there are others in the district who are as smart and good, or even smarter or better than those named.

In spite of their lack of council experiences, I believe their lives, work and exposure to different aspects of living make them a quick study for the different aspects of legislative duty, enabling them to be viable and true representatives of the people of the district.

Supposedly, they are not beholden to anybody as captives to the whims and caprices of the political winds. Is the appointment of any of these people so named already a done deal?

If so, is that a bi-product of the “good old boy network” rearing its ugly head again? Is this all a “shibai” then?

I realize there is always the scratch my back scratch your back syndrome and people begin to collect IOUs saved through the years so that it can be tempting to ignore local sentiments. Is this “pono?” Or corruption?

In this regard, I suggest that different people belonging to different ethnic, social, economic and political groups in the district be given the opportunity to nominate the person or persons they deemed able to represent their wishes, hopes and dreams.

This is also an opportunity to include other ethnic groups in the mix rather than relying only on one particular group, by default, that may or may not reflect the wants, needs and priorities of others within the community.

This, indeed, is an opportunity to diversify the legislative delegation that has been lacking all these years.