Letters for Aug. 23, 2015

Letters for Aug. 23, 2015

Progress doesn’t mean the same thing to everyone

I have to agree with two recent letters to the editor.

One suggested capping the visitor count to prevent overcrowding/overuse of the island.

Although I do think there are too many people coming here, I doubt that the powers-that-be will ever create a limit to the amount of people permitted to come here.

I was just saying the other day how we rely on tourism (I drive a tour bus) but, they are ruining everything.

As it was mentioned, I also hate driving to the Eastside from Kalaheo because of the traffic and I never go to the Kee Beach anymore, there are always too many people.

But, instead of slowing down growth, they are planning on building more hotels in Kapaa and also more houses up above Kapaa, sad.

The seed companies use the word “self-sustaining,” yet they only grow seeds, no food for us.

They provide jobs too, but that can’t be the only reason to allow something to continue.

Everything food-wise, whether it is fresh or processed, available in the supermarket, started out as a plant. GMOs are seeds that you can use one time only, so they are not self-sustaining.

Unfortunately, the labor costs here are so high that growing our own would be expensive. But, it is something that will need to be looked at more closely as time goes by.

I’ve lived here most of my life (50 years). The changes they call “growth” and “progress” to me are more akin to destruction of paradise.

Jack Custer

Kalaheo

A glimpse at taking advantage of the system

This morning my wife and I went to Costco. We usually go early to avoid the crowds, which invariably show up later. I found a parking place in the first row immediately outside the main entrance and directly across from the handicapped parking lanes. A black Chevrolet Tahoe with a handicapped license plate on it occupied the first lane. I waited for my wife with the engine running and the air conditioning on, as it was rapidly warming into a hot day.

Ten minutes later a haole gentleman and his wife emerged from the store, wheeling a large cart packed full of food. They didn’t appear to be handicapped. No one was in a wheelchair. No one needed crutches. No one limped. In fact, their strides were unimpeded. It took about five minutes for them to unload the cart’s contents into the Tahoe. Then the woman moved the cart to the front of the vehicle and left it, rather than taking it back to where the other carts were, not 50 feet from them. Then they walked back into the store.

In order to qualify for a disability license plate under state law, you must first show that (1) you can’t walk 200 feet without rest, (2) you’re restricted by lung disease, and (3) your mobility is limited due to a medical condition.

Then a licensed, practicing physician has to certify your impaired condition. Maybe at one time one of these individuals was disabled, but now they were apparently healthy enough to walk around Costco for half an hour without assistance. I was left with the impression of someone taking advantage of the system, just because they could.

Scenes like this are repeated far too often on this island — where a privileged few think they’re just too important to have to park with us lowlifes. By exhibiting this selfish behavior they’re robbing legitimately impaired or handicapped people access to handicapped parking spots. I envision people like this on a jet, lounging in their comfortable first-class seats and sipping champagne, looking down their noses and chortling at “those poor saps” behind the curtain.

Steven McMacken

Lihue

Kee parking needs to be addressed

On Aug. 12, our visiting 22-year-old granddaughter and I arrived at Kee at 6:30 a.m. to look for shells.

There was only one vacant parking stall available adjacent to the life guard station. We proceeded to the beach, which was deserted, and proceeded to walk the length of Kee.

The county needs to regulate the parking of overnight hikers/campers. Perhaps the long-term visitors to the Na Pali coastline should be required to park in the two fields before you reach the before mentioned area.

John Armour

Princeville