• LMahalo, for Malapit outpouring • Become the solution • Good, unemotional assessment • EISs everywhere • The reason why • Seen it sooner Mahalo, for Malapit outpouring On behalf of the Malapit family, I personally wish to thank each
• LMahalo, for Malapit outpouring
• Become the solution
• Good, unemotional assessment
• EISs everywhere
• The reason why
• Seen it sooner
Mahalo, for Malapit outpouring
On behalf of the Malapit family, I personally wish to thank each and every one of you who attended the services of former Mayor Eduardo E. Malapit.
Thanks also to those members of the St. Raphael’s Catholic Church who have given their labor of love during the funeral services. I cannot say enough about the help and assistance to the Malapit family that you have willingly given.
We shall all miss him, we shall also bear the fruits of his services to Kaua‘i during his tenure as our mayor.
Finally, thank you to ‘Mala’ for all that you have given to us, the people of Kaua‘i, the state of Hawai‘i.
Sonny Gerardo
Lihu‘e
Become the solution
This is in response to Donna Alalem’s letter entitled “Log scares me,” Letters, Sept. 18. I would like to ask Donna if she would like to donate that money that it would cost to have the log removed? She seems so eager to blame someone, but if she swims there every other day and noticed the log, why didn’t she approach someone and offer to pay to have it removed? I’m not saying that the cost to have the log removed is not worth a life, should something happen. But sometimes people seem to think that our government has an endless bank account for things like this. The county can’t even take care of Lydgate Park, that’s why volunteers like Friends of Kamalani are out every first Saturday of the month cleaning away the debris that washes onto the beach. I wonder if Donna is one of those volunteers … probably not because she’s too busy taking note of what everyone else should be doing about our problems.
Betsy Rivers
Lihu‘e
Good, unemotional assessment
It was encouraging to read a somewhat unemotional, unbiased assessment of the current dispute over the EIS for the Superferry and the latest cruise ship increase (“Responsibility with DOT,” Letters, Sept. 18). Mr. Hartwin Weiss claims to not take sides, but does place most of the blame for this “dispute” in the lap of our elected local and state officials and, by extension, the appointed department heads that serve under them.
There has been much name calling and finger pointing associated with the Superferry, but what is needed is more rational discussion, supported with pertinent facts, especially when it comes to the actions (or inactions) of elected officials. The “good ol’ boy” method of doing business in government has been going on way too long in our country and many times it feels as if Hawai‘i’s representatives will be the last to be held accountable for it.
Thank you Mr. Weiss for your thoughful analysis. Somewhere in all the demonstration, discussion and emotion is a balance. Hopefully, this balance will result in some rational thinking in local government — especially as it relates to the imbalance between growth, services and the environment. The latest governmental response to the shenanigans regarding the Coco Palms was an encouraging development.
The thing we all need to remember is that if we are all complacent in the destruction of what it is that brings people here, that it may get to the point where we ourselves do not want to be here. That is a sad thought indeed.
Bob Meline
Kapa‘a
EISs everywhere
I would like to air my views regarding all this mess with the Superferry and the required EIS.
First of all, according to Gary Hooser, “Any public money used to improve any project on state or county property triggers an automatic EIS.” If that is so, then where is the EIS for the cruise ships? Nawiliwili Harbor had improvements to accommodate the cruise ships. Also, Young Brothers did more improvements to their areas to accommodate their new barges, and, are still doing construction right now.
What about the bike/pedestrian path. Where’s the EIS? According to you, every business or company that is using public funds on public lands have to get an EIS, right. So airport, highways improvements or expansion requires an EIS. Thanks Gary, you just screwed everybody.
To the protesters, yes, you have every legal right to protest anything you don’t like. However, to the female banging on the car window, if that was my car that you were banging on, I would come out and slap you silly. I have a right to protect my property. The male who was letting air out of the tire, I hope the police review the tapes and you get arrested. You think that was funny, don’t you?
The security zone was established because of all you (expletive removed). Now everybody suffers because of a few dummies. The organizers in charge of the protesters should be held liable for their protesters’ actions.
We will see who gets the last laugh.
Michael Kiyabu
Kapa‘a
The reason why
I’ve lived on Kaua‘i several years now (and am very honored to do so). I don’t drive a Hummer. I don’t live in a multi-million-dollar estate. I enjoy the simple island lifestyle. Every once in awhile someone will write to criticize the amount of haole ferry protesters. They wonder why we’re so passionate? What gives us the right? It’s easy. A lot of us have been “out there.” We’ve experienced what over-development and poor planning have done to countless Mainland treasures. If someone was born and raised here on Kaua‘i they haven’t experienced as much of that. It’s hard to understand. I believe we’re all in this together and Kaua‘i really needs us all to watch her back.
Rebecca Gorsline
Kapa‘a
Seen it sooner
My first-time visit to Kaua‘i hasn’t fully soaked in yet, but it is beautiful. Given my choice, it would be my destination every vacation. I made a point to talk to locals and get a sense of life outside of the normal tourist fare. I discovered a few things that would not be apparent to the outsider. Wide differences of opinion about the Superferry, the value of sprawl, the conversion of farmland into housing developments, the influx of mega-wealthy prospectors. I will submit that polarity must be the inevitable product of small island life, but it seems that that very division will make those who truly love this place powerless against unbridled and careless destruction/development and soon enough most of you will not be able to afford to live there. Kaua‘i will be left for haole tourists like me. I wish I could have seen it sooner. It looks like it is heading down that primrose path that is ruining my own region.
Wiley Workman
Savannah, Ga.
