I want to thank an Aug. 19 letter writer for clearing up Kaniela Ing's history. He is clearly Upcountry born and raised. You can be proud of your native son.
But the purpose of representative government is for us to elect one of ours. The communities on Maui are different. Different lifestyles and different issues. To really represent us, a person has to spend time in South Maui - shop in our stores, wade through the floods, drive to work in our rush-hour traffic, volunteer to make our community better, spend some time cleaning the beach or feeding the homeless or whatever the person's interest is.
George Fontaine is one of ours. He lives in Kihei. He has a long record of commitment to service in our community. As our representative, he has worked with many in the Legislature to advance the quality of life in South Maui. Recently he teamed with Sen. Roz Baker and Council Member Don Couch to bring the issue of the new malls to the attention of the Land Use Commission. He is an expert on law enforcement in a Legislature that leans more to defense attorneys. He is someone who knows the history of the campaign for a public high school in Kihei. He is someone who has seen the devastation from the floods that hurt our roads and our reefs.
So, thank you to the letter writer for the recommendation, but please don't be offended if we pass on it.
Greg Stratton
Kihei
