• Slower Superferry would make her happy • Fair is fair regarding Superferry • Loves the letters, saddened by the violence • Appreciated the appreciation Slower Superferry would make her happy Re. Cruise ships: I haven’t seen vehicles driving off
• Slower Superferry would make her happy
• Fair is fair regarding Superferry
• Loves the letters, saddened by the violence
• Appreciated the appreciation
Slower Superferry would make her happy
Re. Cruise ships:
I haven’t seen vehicles driving off the cruise lines. It’s not tourist dollars that threaten Kauai. It’s the potential 300/day additional gas-guzzling machines with their occupants off-loading from the Superferry that threaten our lifestyle and environment.
Get a slower sustainable energy ferry that doesn’t kill whales or bring cars and I’ll be happy.
Gabriela Taylor
Kapa‘a
Fair is fair regarding Superferry
I lived on Kaua‘i for eight years and still read the TGI online. I’m amazed that the same ol’ stuff that was going on years ago still persists.
Regarding the Superferry, I don’t quite understand the argument entirely.
I believe the Superferry should have been required to perform an EIS. What I don’t understand is why so much is being focused on an EIS for the Superferry, when it’s never been required of Matson, Horizon or Young Brothers.
Granted, the Superferry is the “new” problem on the island, but freighters carrying goods to and from Kaua‘i have certainly caused more than their share of ocean and reef damage, insect and rodent infestations, and illegal transporting of drugs, etc…
So, I ask: What’s the big deal with the Superferry all of a sudden and why are the protesters not holding the government accountable to require EIS for all large transport vessels?
Perhaps if you broadened your scope to include the three largest transport companies in the state, your argument would be considered more valid.
And, just for the sake of argument, I’m not in support of the Superferry. I just think isolating this one issue is making the argument weaker, not stronger.
Has anyone thought of that?
When I lived on the island, we received containers filled with furniture. Backpacking those containers were mice, rats, drugs, post beetles, termites, and more. You name it, it was always found in shipping containers. What makes people think that just because they’re benefiting from goods being shipped IN that it’s any safer, any less impacting on the environment, or any less subject to the same scrutiny you’re demanding of the Superferry?
What’s good for the goose is good for the gander.
And, you letter writers are right. The Aloha spirit started to diminish a LONG time ago on Kaua‘i. It’s still a concept, but nowhere near as visible as it used to be.
It seems the lack of accountability on the part of county officials has been in existence for decades, yet people continue to elect the same representatives. The court system seems to be as corrupt and sanctimonious as ever, the traffic congestion is worse, and the permitting of developments shows no end in sight.
I miss the island and its people, my friends and extended ohana.
What I DON’T miss is the ever growing bitterness, the resentment and bigotry, and the lack of county officials to step up and take responsibility for their actions or inaction.
Good luck in your fight.
Aloha to you all and best wishes.
Jeff Hayes
Austin, Texas
Loves the letters, saddened by the violence
Sorry you weren’t invited to the Superferry Security meeting. I would like to ask Mayor Baptiste why the Honorable Senator Gary Hooser, the Honorable Representative Mina Morita, and the Honorable Councilwoman JoAnn Yukimura were not invited. Perhaps it was an oversight. I shall be calling his office.
I would also like to ask the people who are OK with the Superferry coming, why they aren’t wishing for the environmental assessment process? Do we need the constant refrain that the three County Councils rightly asked for it? These are our elected officials. There is possibly just too much at stake for our fragile ecosystem, that is further away from anything in the world, to not be cautious. Please, Kaua‘i needs to be recognized as the very special treasure she is. Nothing like our state is replicated on our planet.
Ua mau ke ea o ka’aina i ka pono The life of the land is perpetuated in righteousness. Our state motto.
If the Navy wants another ship they should just buy it. It is not necessarily in the outer islands’ best interest to have cars going back and forth on such a regular basis. That is a lot of tire tread at the least to catch seeds and almost always to be moving soil from island to island. It could be unwise to be transferring soil microbes.
Families who would like to visit with their relatives, have my full support. Perhaps with the lower air fares, as in the $9 special recently and the $19 fare it might be a plausible and more inexpensive way to go. Perhaps the administration could call upon or inspire the car rental companies to have very good van rates for kama ‘aina as they seem to make a good living in our state. This would be a positive way for them to give back to the community. It would also save the outer islands and O‘ahu from the transfer of invasive species. Just an idea.
I truly thank everyone for their letters to the editor. The breakout of purported violence always saddens me, however, I know it was provoked. What would you do if a motorist threatened to run into sitting and laying people? And why was an elder of the community maced without the driver of the car being dealt with? There are so many questions.
One last thing — if the courts insist that the environmental assessment is lawful and in the interests of the people and the aina then I surely hope the study and process will reflect the highest standards. Everyone is watching.
Together we can build a model that would be truly sustainable and inspire an aloha world.
Michaela Boudreaux
Kalaheo
Appreciated the appreciation
The week of Aug. 26 through Sept. 1 was “National Truck Driver Appreciation Week.”
We want to thank Mayor Baptiste for the proclamation, Ron Wiley from Kong Radio for “telling the world,” The Sign and Print Machine, Sons of Hawaii Motorcycle Club, Kaua‘i Chapter and PS&D for their donations.
A special thanks go to our daughter, Erin and grandkids, Hailey and Kain for giving up time during their vacation to help. We gave out free drinks and snacks, three hours each morning on the side of the road in Kapa‘a and Lihu‘e.
We also want to thank all of the 172 truckers who stopped during this week.
Carol & Roger Ridgley, Jr.
A Tow In Paradise
