Over the past weeks it has been interesting to see The Maui News articles and letters regarding the proposed Kihei mega-malls.
I wonder if anyone else on this island has found it perplexing that state and local lawmakers didn't feel that a decent hospital facility was needed in Kihei or that a high school was a priority issue for that growing community, but they are practically falling all over themselves to push through the development of this monstrosity, giving no thought whatsoever to woefully insufficient infrastructure in the area.
They can get another hotel built in record time, but how many years did it take to complete an eight-mile stretch of road (Mokulele Highway)? And how much longer will the access road behind Walmart remain unfinished?
The 700-mile Alaska highway was completed in just three years. How long did Costco have to fight for permission to expand its facility? Walmart was shot out of the water when it wanted to expand to a super center, but a huge new Target store is flying through the permitting process without a hitch. Why aren't local mom-and-pop retailers complaining about that?
There is no rhyme or reason, it seems, to the decisions made by the powers that be on this island. Apparently, it's all about who you know and how much glad-handing you do that determines how quickly you can get your development project done.
If this keeps up, I'm truly worried about Maui's future.
Rhonda Glass
Kahului
