We’ll share island, not sell it
My uncle, Herbert Doi, once told us that “tourism will be a ‘cancer’ to Kaua‘i.”
God, may his soul rest in peace, he was right!
As we observe the erosion of Kaua‘i’s social, economical and natural environment, we cannot help but conclude that the “choices” to introduce and sustain the tourism industry as our prioritized economical dependency has been and will continue to be a detrimental decision.
We could have and should focus on our sustainability by incorporating various natural resources such as agriculture, farming, clean-energy production and aquaculture.
Currently, the “cancer” has metastasized to the point where Kauaians have to adapt to the continuous deterioration of our social, economical and natural resources.
The recent efforts to address the obvious problems will fall short of what could have been!
The “crystal ball” envisions a clarity that is inevitable, that the “choices” made will not produce a favorable outcome for future generations.
Life is about choices, and the values that were inherent in these decisions, made by politicians, investors, developers and contractors who neglected to look beyond their “bank accounts” will prove, eventually and if not obvious already, to be disastrous!
Kauaians are more than happy to share the island with the world. However, we never agreed to sell it!
Myles Y. Emura, Kekaha
Interior road a bad idea
Aloha.
“Smokey” Louis Gonsalves proposed a highway from the Tree Tunnel along the cane-haul road and the Powerline Road to Princeville, with roads to Lihu‘e and Kapa‘a, over 50 years ago. He would have lost $3 million then (1960s).
The population has quadrupled in our lifetime, 2 billion in 1960 to 8 billion today. Kaua‘i’s population in 1957 was about 20,000. Surf was good, mangoes were ono, people were friendly, we enjoyed the beauty, peace and aloha of Kaua‘i.
Mahalo for sharing.
Kawika, Kekaha
Waimea needs roundabout
At the intersection of Waimea Canyon Drive and Kaumuali‘i Highway on the west end of Waimea town is an accident waiting to happen. Tourists and locals alike are racing oncoming traffic in both (eastbound and westbound) directions to exit and enter Kaumuali‘i Highway. While driving/motorcycling in that area, I’ve seen many times near misses.
However, I know that the Waimea community doesn’t want traffic lights through the town. So “why not build a roundabout in that area (Waimea Canyon Drive and Kaumuali‘i Highway)?” It will keep traffic flowing in all directions there!
Howard Tolbe, ‘Ele‘ele
Be sure to not take your “Tourism Cancer” outside of Kauai. Otherwise all of your words are self serving lies.
Mr. Tolbe-
I can think of 50 other locations more suitable for Kauai’s next roundabout than the intersection you are referencing. A VERY expensive roundabout in sleepy Waimea? That makes about as much sense as that West Kauai Tech building boondoggle on the corner.
Putting a traffic light at that end of town makes way more sense if traffic control appears necessary, despite the protestations of Waimea residents.
Mr. Emura’s letter is spot on regarding what the dependency on tourism has done to Kauai, and I’m sure the other outer islands. I started coming to Kauai in the 1970s as my husband was a lawyer in the acquisition by the State of Taylor Camp ( as I said to a lifeguard down at Kee Beach “be careful what you wish for”). While I know that the island cannot return to those times, the loss of cane and sugar as agricultural products created a group of workers that now fill the tourist related service industry – hotels, car rental, restaurants, etc.
The island has had many opportunities to find other forms of economic growth, but it seems tourism is just too easy a choice.
Due to Covid I missed my annual trip last year. To be honest, after reading what has happened to the island with the full return of tourists, I don’t know if or when I will ever return. For those of us who share a love of the island and its people its saddens me to think that I may not return and find some small corner that reminds me of what we love about Kauai. I look forward to seeing the leaders of Kauai find ways to deal with this serious issue.
Susan Murphy, Chicago,IL
Myles, you are wrong about at least one thing, selling out. Almost every day a Kauai resident is agreeing to “sell out” their private property to malihinis. This year it’s usually it’s a full price, all cash offer, something “pre qualified” to buy local residents aren’t able to compete with. Tourism on the other hand provides the means for long term residents to survive. Yes we should try to diversify, but so far we’ve had little success. If we aren’t careful with throttling back tourism the only ones left on Kauai will be the new independently wealthy residents. By the way the rich are also against tourism. What we see now is very strange alliance, poverty level local residents and the independently wealthy, all with the same goal, kill tourism. The wealthy are all about killing tourism so to have saved Kauai for themselves.
Mr. Tolbe, That sleepy Waimea town is not so sleepy when PMRF employees head to and from work. You can sit at the crossroads for an hour waiting for a break in traffic. A roundabout there is a good idea. I wish there was also a roundabout (or at least speed bumps) at Olohena and Kaapuni Roads. Cars racing up the hill from both sides!
I agree the intersection of Olohena and Ka’apuni mauka of the Middle School an accident is waiting to happen. Cars do race up and down old Ohlohena . It’s very close to the school. At a certain time of the day the sun is reflecting so brightly in the concave mirror it’s dangerous to turn left onto old Ohlohena Road. I think there should be a 15 mile an hour speed well before you get to that intersection. Those two roads have a lot of traffic. Not just school traffic.
I apologize about typos. Auto correct has trouble with Hawaiian words
Mr. Tolbe and others,
The unwarranted resistance to traffic signals in Waimea, as well as everywhere on this island is derived from our experiences with the existing antiquated signals that we currently endure here on Kauai.
We all hate sitting at a red light when there is no traffic in the cross direction. We all hate it when a red light stops the steady flow of traffic to allow one car to turn left. We even hate it when a red light stops a dozen cars or more just to let one old homeless guy cross the street. But that’s what happens when the signal system technology is 50 years old and are not maintained properly.
A new signal system with up-to-date 21st century technology, will not only minimize those issues mentioned above, but will “keep the traffic flowing at a steady pace and avoid “bottlenecks”.
And THAT is what the goal of a REAL Traffic Engineer is all about!!!
A round about slows traffic down, creating a bottleneck, and creates “clumps” of traffic. Eventually, very irate drivers!!
Perhaps its not too soon to begin planning for road up powerline, Princeville to Lihue/Kapaa before The north shore is cut off at Anahola and Kealia after the ocean rises in the next 50 years. as well as other alternative routes from high ground to high ground. I don’t know what to say about low lying towns like Kapaa, Hanalei, Poipu, Waimea, etc.
Hey Miles and Kawika- you are SO RIGHT! I couldn’t agree more.
This buying of homes by people who want to live here part time needs to be looked at or we will find ourselves having our Island gov policies influenced even more than they are now by these part time residents. IMO, a part time resident does not really “live” here. They are here to enjoy the Island not live on the island like we do who live here year round. We live here when it rains, when it floods, when we have way too many cars on the roads and on said roads that were designed for the traffic of fifty years ago. In other words we live here through it all, not just when we choose to be here.
We heard plenty from these part time owners who couldn’t get here because of the pandemic and then want money back on their condo taxes etc!
I tell tourist I meet that you have to really want to live here to make a go of it and if you don’t live here then you are just on an extended vacation.
I’m a big fan of traffic circles. Howard’s idea is a good one. I support it. Traffic moves slowly along that section anyway and it’s tough to turn left coming out of Waimea Canyon Rd.