To the bullies, enough is enough with the water
Here we go again, the same bullies trying to destroy all that we locals hold dear - no runway extension at the airport, Superferry and HC&S.
State commissioners, when are you going with the majority and not the same troublemaking minorities, these bullies? That's what they are. These are the livelihoods of so many hardworking generations of all different nationalities that have labored in these fields and dug those tunnels and ditches. These bullies have no clue what sweat went into these fields and tunnels. Who gives them the right to direct where the water should go?
To the true kuleanas, yes you should have your water for growing taro or anything that you want. HC&S is willing to work with you. Listen to them. They cannot succeed without water, they will share.
The real motive is to close HC&S for the land. They have tried for years by complaining about cane burning, now a surefire way to take them out - water. State commissioners, stand up for the majority. Stand up for all the jobs that will be affected.
A march of 80 bullies is a far cry from all the workers of HC&S and the trickledown effect. HC&S has been diverting water for over a century. If the transplants want to see the beautiful fauna, take a hike.
We need bread and butter, not little opai and fauna. They talk about stream life, what about human life?
Judy Dando
Wailuku
*****
Bertram, Baker lauded for support of schools
Speaking as an individual, someone who has assisted in the Legislature and frequently visits Kihei, I am very impressed by the efforts of Rep. Joe Bertram III and Sen. Rosalyn Baker. Their dedication to the education of Maui's keiki has been steadfast.
These are tough times. In the struggle to gain funding and support for schools, these leaders have faced obstacles that would make any person feel downtrodden. Rather than give up or look the other way, they have continually worked to do the best possible with . . . nothing. We must support their efforts and continue to work as a community, a Maui community and state of Hawaii community, to value, respect and aid our public schools.
We know that Kihei needs new facilities because of the growing population (even a new high school). Leaders are doing the best they can, literally with a negative budget. It's not easy being an education supporter in our economy. It would certainly be a much easier task to have a great educational system with all the dollars you need.
This is just a shout-out to those legislators and educators for doing a good job in those hot Kihei days of summer, teaching reading and math in overcrowded classes. Keep fighting; don't give up.
Clifford T. Fukuda
Kaneohe
*****
Putting Maui dentist on trial waste of money
When I served on the Maui County Health Initiative Task Force, we found that there were seriously inadequate dental services to Medicaid patients on Maui. There was one devoted dentist performing services for that population and the state Department of Health dental director went after her with bogus charges of fraud of Medicaid.
The trial ended Oct. 5 and with obvious results: Wendie Schwab was acquitted on all charges. We are left with two clinics providing Medicaid covered dental care with lengthy waiting lists - Maui Oral Health Center in Wailuku and Community Clinic of Maui.
The state went after this dentist, not on lawful charges, but on issues that were not of the law. A jury of her peers found her innocent on all charges and we, the taxpayers, are paying tens of thousands of dollars for a two-week trial, and let's not forget the tremendous sums of money, time and emotion Schwab had to pay to endure this wrongful court case.
Health care is in such a mess, but allowing public officials to get away with this obscene waste of our scarce resources and costing us a devoted dentist for Medicaid on Maui is ludicrous.
I hope you are as appalled as I am. Let's start a letter-writing campaign to have the dental director removed from his position. Send your letters to Gov. Linda Lingle, and maybe she will actually take action for the people she claims to care about here on Maui.
Hermine Harman
Kihei
*****
A&B needs to get out of the sugar business
The 35,000 acres of cane land on Maui is ripe for change. It's time to farm this land for sustainability and profit.
Sugar is bad for most people, and it's bad for A&B when they lose $8 million or more a year on cane. I'm sure A&B will never have the resources or talent to make a profit on the heartland of Maui.
I would like to see a corporation with Maui's talented people take over the 35,000 acres along with EMI's water system. Maui could become a diversified ag-producing, self-sufficient place. Maybe a group can form a corporation that can make a deal with A&B to lease the land for $ 1 a year for 100-plus years and save A&B $8 million a year in losses.
Also, the water system problems could be solved by planting crops, trees, grasses that use less water than cane. More water can be returned to the streams without the lawsuits that are in progress now.
I'd like to be a part of the takeover and create more than the 800 jobs. We need lawyers, farmers, visionaries and investors to organize a takeover. Until something good happens to the land and water, Maui will be at the mercy of A&B's bottom line.
Ken Kleid
Makawao
*****
Taro patches need the water from Na Wai Eha
I have seen stickers on cars that read "Respect the Culture" and "Represent" expressing pride for Hawaii. I'm not Hawaiian and don't have any stickers on my truck, but I do make an effort to preserve the culture of this island by growing taro in Waihee Valley where I live.
Na Wai Eha, the four great waters of Maui, which once flowed from mauka to makai, are now reduced to dry streambeds except when there is enough rain for the stream to overflow the diversions. There are taro patches not being farmed now because of the lack of water. Some landowners are working to restore ancient loi, but unless the stream flow is restored there will not be water to grow taro.
I do not expect 100 percent stream restoration, but there should be at least enough water to maintain a constant flow all the time. I hope the water commission will rule in favor of restoring a fair share of water to Na Wai Eha, providing a constant source of cool water so the taro can survive into the future and preserve an important part of Hawaii's culture.
Malama aina. Malama i ka wai.
David Lengkeek
Waihee Valley
*****
Report on bike tour on Haleakala out soon
The report that Kimura International Consulting was contracted to do for the county on the downhill bike tour industry is completed. We're just waiting for its release.
I hope that this report reflects the majority feelings of people here in all of Upcountry that have to live with these "downkills" every day of our lives. Their numbers are down with the drop in tourism, but they'll be back in full force one day. Some of them are even making a good effort to move off the road when vehicles approach.
I respect what Jimmy Muchetti and the rest of the Upcountry Citizens for Bike and Traffic Safety have tried to do. However, they do not reflect the almost 40 percent of people who were surveyed and want the downhill bikers stopped before they reach residential areas.
In the four public meetings offered by Kimura it was clear that even people who supported the bikers did not want them to keep their vans in the roadway illegally. Over two years ago, every one of the guided downhill owners made an agreement with Jimmy and the committee to stage their vans and not trail behind their riders. They testified to this in front of the County Council. They have not kept their word.
Hundreds of people have testified against these companies going back to the days when the late Council Member Tom Morrow was alive and his aide was our present state Sen. J. Kalani English.
Enough already.
Mike Perry
Former president and co-founder Upcountry Citizens for Bike and Traffic Safety
*****
Lingle, teacher furlough supporters criticized
To all students of Hawaii public schools, mahalo for bearing the burden of our economic crisis.
To the teachers that voted against the furlough, Mahalo. To the cowards that voted for the furlough, shame on you.
Finally, to Gov. Lingle, only after taking from our schools do you confess an oversight, stating that even more money is needed, diminishing the projected effects of the furlough on the state budget.
What a scam. Good luck, students, I hope that your educational back doesn't break.
Gina Enzweiler
Kihei
