• Cockfighting should not be tolerated • Deny Coco Palms extension request • Thank you, Kaua‘i • The silent swindle Cockfighting should not be tolerated Thank you for printing news on this horrible, yet not rare occurrence. (“Police break up
• Cockfighting should not be tolerated
• Deny Coco Palms extension request
• Thank you, Kaua‘i
• The silent swindle
Cockfighting should not be tolerated
Thank you for printing news on this horrible, yet not rare occurrence. (“Police break up cockfight,” The Garden Island, March 19)
This was the third, and largest, cockfighting raid in which the Kaua‘i Humane Society has assisted police, Becky Rhoades of the Kaua’i Humane Society said.
Chief Darryl Perry, who was head of the raid, has said he supports a bill now at the Legislature (Senate Bill 1194) that would prohibit the possession of gaffs, but would like its sanctions to include jail time. The bill has been assigned to the U.S. House Judiciary Committee, but no hearing is set.
Attending a cockfight is not a crime. It would greatly help the crack down on the inhumane practice of cockfighting if the attendee would be held accountable. Let’s hold them accountable — anyone affiliated with cockfighting, from owners to attendees, shall be punished.
Sen. Gary Hooser has said he voted against the bill in the Senate “because cockfighting is already against the law — both state and federal — and I believe we should just enforce the laws we have now. … I have full faith and confidence in Chief Perry.” He needs to help Perry by making the law have more bite.
Contact Gary Hooser, the House Judiciary Committee and Sens. Daniel Akaka and Daniel Inouye to let them know you not only do you support Senate Bill 1194 that would prohibit the possession of gaffs, but would like its sanctions to include jail time for persons affiliated with cockfighting, from owners to attendees.
Desiree Hoover, Kilauea
Deny Coco Palms extension request
Thank you, Mr. Contrades for your Coco Palms testimony at the February Planning Commission meeting. Michael Levine’s excellent article (“Coco Palms up in the air,” The Garden Island, Feb. 11) also compelled me to write.
Yes, this abandoned landmark is a horrible eyesore and the coconut grove has been seriously neglected. Now, the owners are asking the commissioners for a three-year extension on permits expiring in May.
What evidence do we have that they will “walk the talk” at this point? Developers have responsibilities they must fulfill once permits are granted. But no real progress has been made at Coco Palms since approvals in 2005. In the meantime, we the people have been subjected to living with the decay, ugliness and failures.
Now the owners want to change the plans. They don’t want to rebuild according to what has been approved. Excuse me for asking but if there are significant changes to an approved plan, don’t those changes trigger a new application? A new round of public hearings?
The owners have not lived up to the conditions of their permits, specifically the items on the list of benefits for our community. Perhaps now is the time that we residents seriously reconsider what is the best future for Coco Palms.
High density hotels and condo units, or what about a community park, a Hawaiian cultural center, a place for education? There are other choices that would benefit residents, visitors and provide revenues as well.
The request for an extension should be denied.
Elli Ward, Lihu‘e
Thank you, Kaua‘i
If it had not been for your financial (and moral) support, I don’t think that we would have been able to continue with the appeal that resulted in the vindication of our position that Act 2 was an unconstitutional, special interest law.
Some may bemoan the end of the Superferry connecting the islands. But we are connected in a much more powerful way — by our shared culture and our aloha ‘aina.
This bond strengthened our resolve and by working together we protected our lands. Our combined efforts were able to defeat a powerful, rich corporation with corrupt political connections reaching all the way to Gov. Lingle.
Together we will continue to preserve the cultural values that are the essence of our lives in Hawai‘i nei.
Karen Chun, Save Kahului Harbor
The silent swindle
Heritage, protection, preservation, conservation, cultural, historical, resource management, preserve America.
All these ideas sound good, don‘t they? But in legislation they are disguised terms for assets and collateral.
The U.S. has big debts with China and needs to continue borrowing but China wants to know how they‘ll be paid back. China is a notorious lover of resources the world over. Hillary Clinton’s recent trip to China was probably to barter and reassure China, not to get compliments from their head of state on how young she looks in person, as we were told.
Now, Abercrombie introduces HR 1297, the Hawai‘i Capital National Heritage Area Establishment Act. And Inouye introduces S. 359 of the same name.
The purpose of these acts is to inventory and collateralize the intangible assets as they are called — resources, cultural and historical sites, revenue-generating sources through tours, etc. All of which will then be in a neat package for China.
The recent ‘Preserve America’ initiative (Bush executive order) presented by Beth Tokioka and approved by our County Council is a similar trade-off; the matching fund arrangement was too hard to resist — chump change in return for signs that say ‘Preserve America’ all over Hawai‘i.
The Mainland is being collateralized as well: Yellowstone National Park is already owned by UNESCO under the United Nations.
As we know in Hawai‘i, it doesn‘t have to fit in a suitcase to be stolen. And mahalo, Puanani Rogers, for noticing these bills.
Are these bills guarding and protecting Hawai‘i’s resources? Or would it be more accurate to say they are acts of treason?
Elaine Dunbar, Lihu‘e
