While I am certainly sympathetic to the demands of the strikers, I am also grateful to those nurses and others who were sent from the mainland to keep the island’s only full-service hospital functioning during the strike.

I had to bring my wife to the emergency room Wednesday evening while the demonstrators were still present, chanting, yelling and waving their signs while marching along the sidewalk and spilling off the sidewalk and into the street at times.

I wasn’t surprised to see the driveway to the main entrance of the hospital obstructed and at times completely blocked by demonstrators, but I do question the wisdom of so many demonstrators obstructing the entrance to the driveway and parking lot of the Emergency Department.

It’s not like we can go to other hospitals, folks.

Given the number of demonstrators who didn’t stay on the sidewalk in such poor lighting, I’m really concerned about the safety of both motorists and the protestors.

As I was trying to turn into the driveway of the Emergency Department, I was afraid I was going to hit somebody.

I really hope someone rethinks this tactic the next time the workers have to demonstrate.

Chris Profio

Kahului