Here we go again. I don't care if you were born here or flew here, the sugar plantation has been a way of life for all the immigrants coming to Hawaii since the 1800s.
My grandfather and father, with his family, came to Hawaii looking for a better life. At first it was just my grandfather working for the sugar plantation, but when my father and his brothers got older they also worked for the sugar company. As the years went by, my brothers worked for the plantation and so did their sons, and some of my cousins and nephews still work for the sugar company.
When I grew up we had few hotels or tourists. The only jobs during the summer were pineapple and sugar. A lot of high school kids made their money that way so that they could buy new clothes and school supplies. Some of them used the money for college and would come back every year so that they could earn money until they graduated. The only people who know about the plantation and are thankful are the ones whose families worked the fields or in the mill.
The people who are complaining never worked the fields or knew the lifestyle of camp life, if you did, you would know better than to complain.
Mainlanders, look what you have done to these islands. The Maui that I used to know is no more because Mainlanders know what's good for us locals.
Allen Vierra
Pukalani
