SUPERFERRY

WHERE IS LT. GOV. AIONA ON FERRY ISSUE?

With all of the activity surrounding the Superferry, involving the state Supreme Court, governor's office, Legislature and citizens of Hawai'i, I have one question: Where has Lt. Gov. James "Duke" Aiona been? Has he decided to let others take the heat, or has he decided to sit this one out and save the heat for his veggies?

Come election time I will remember his leadership on this issue. I hope the voting booth does not have a skirt to hide behind.

STUDY IMPACT BEFORE BEGINNING FERRY RUNS

According to the New York Times (Oct. 10), Hawai'i Superferry intends to put a second ferry into service in 2009 and plans to build an additional three.

If each ferry carried just half its payload of 280 cars (some pulling boats or campers), the impact on each Neighbor Island's natural environment and man-made infrastructure would seem to be substantial. Just when, during this ramp-up of service, do our officials feel an environmental impact statement would be appropriate?

Any decision as to whether the Superferry should operate prior to an environmental impact statement is an uninformed decision. The impact data needs to be collected and analyzed first, as the law provides. This is completely logical, and that logic has been known in advance to all.

Any attempt to evade Hawaiian environmental law, and especially the spirit of that law, is galling. It breeds contempt for elected officials. This has not been an example of informed or inspired leadership.

DLNR

THIELEN DESERVES SENATE CONFIRMATION

We are fortunate to have a nominee as qualified as Laura Thielen to lead the Department of Land and Natural Resources. This is especially true given the importance of the department's critical mission and the unique skills that Ms. Thielen has to offer.

I had the privilege of working closely with Laura while I served as the executive director of the Legal Aid Society. Laura was in charge of creating and supervising Legal Aid's entire statewide intake, advice and counsel system. Her responsibilities included working closely with the managers of each of our nine offices and forming a consensus among Legal Aid management team on numerous complex design and delivery issues. These were not easy tasks given the headstrong beliefs and argumentative tones of most lawyers.

Laura has boundless energy, a passion for her work and the environment, unique skills in developing consensus while maintaining a strong vision, and superb leadership abilities. She has strong communication skills and the highest level of integrity governing her life's choices.

I hope the Senate will confirm her appointment as the chairperson of DNLR. She will be all benefit from her personal and professional strengths, her commitment to public service and her passion for a secure environment.

DEVELOPMENT

DJOU'S VIEWS OUT OF SYNC WITH COMMUNITY

Oct. 17 marked the juxtaposition of two contrasting perspectives regarding the future of Hawai'i Kai. During the day, Charles Djou, representing East Honolulu at the City Council, voted in favor of a bill allowing construction of a luxury condominium in Hawai'i Kai at a height of 90 feet, far exceeding the current 40-60 foot limit and thus violating the recommendations outlined in the East Honolulu Sustainable Communities Plan.

Meanwhile, in the evening, a group of concerned residents met at Koko Head Elementary School to discuss ways to strengthen the EHSCP and limit the negative effects of future development on their quality of life.

The disconnect between the hopes of these concerned citizens and the action of their City Council representative reflects an underlying difference in philosophy that will likely doom any attempt at community planning in Hawai'i Kai. The concerned residents want the community to have serious input into future development plans, whereas Djou believes developers have the right to do as they please. independent of community concerns.

Djou's enthusiastic endorsement of continued development surely violates the spirit of the EHSCP. From a narrow perspective, Djou's daytime vote simply formalized his support of increased height limits in Hawai'i Kai. But, from a wider angle, his vote signaled his continued distrust of community-based planning and disinterest in the ideas and opinions expressed by those residents during their nighttime meeting.

MILITARY

CONGRESS SHOULD STOP WASTING TAX DOLLARS

So the government is spending $1 billion and adding another 3,000 soldiers to Schofield? ("Old quads get a new look at Hawai'i Army base," Oct. 28). Great.

When will the Army realize that O'ahu is not a good place for a base? An Air Force and Navy outpost, yes, but the Army needs land to train on and O'ahu simply doesn't have it anymore. Not to mention the cost and logistics of keeping an Army base maintained and supplied out in the middle of the Pacific.

West Coast-based troops can be moved by jet transports in a matter of hours to any area. So why have an Army base on a crowded, expensive island?

Schofield has outlived its usefulness and needs to be moved to a Mainland area, preferably adjacent to desert terrain, where personnel could train without getting in everyone's way. The land could them be turned over to the state for civilian use.

It's time Congress used some foresight rather than continue wasting our tax dollars to the tune of a now $1 trillion national debt.

EDUCATION

FOCUS ON FIXING THE STATE'S DROPOUT RATE

It is sad to read about Hawai'i's dropout rates. Instead of fighting over whether or not it is right to search for drugs in schools, why not concentrate on how to improve the state's dropout rate?

Is the saying "our future lies on our youngsters" still valid, or are our futures doomed already?

We are paying more and more for teachers' union salaries; show us the results. I don't care how you do it! (On the other hand, why not check out how the private schools do it?)

No wonder Hawai'i has the highest percentage of private school enrollment, which, by the way, includes our public officials' children. Maybe we should make it mandatory for public officials to enroll their kids in public school — maybe, just maybe, it will shed some improvements.

COMMUNITY EFFORT

CLEANUP PROJECT IN WAI'ANAE A SUCCESS

Plenty mahalos to the dozen and more people who showed up to clean the highway with Nani O Wai'anae group between Makaha and Makua Cave Oct. 13. That stretch of road is one of the beautiful drives left on O'ahu, sans houses and highrises on either side of the road. We picked up a ton of trash, included large truck tires, car parts, and assorted litter. Auwe to the people who would litter that same area in just the following week.

Unfortunately, long-term homeless mar the area with piles of garbage. But at least they pile it along the road. Couldn't the city have picked that up, too, along with all the other trash that was collected? It makes the job look half done.

Being local doesn't confer any special rights or privileges. On the contrary, it means you have to care more and therefore do more than anybody else because you live here. If you're not, then you are not really local.

UH FOOTBALL

COLT BRENNAN COULD BE THE NEXT HEISMAN PICK

Unlike my fellow flight attendants, I've been a football fan for a long time. In the '70s I met Lynn Swann, who was a candidate for the Heisman Trophy. He arrived on O'ahu to play in the Hula Bowl, and his teammates told me to get his autograph because they said he was going to be famous.

Last month I met another Heisman candidate, Hawai'i's own Colt Brennan. This time I didn't have to be told to get his autograph. I know the doubters are out there but so are the believers like myself. After that exciting nail-biting victory game against San Jose State, everything is up for grabs, such as a spot at a BCS or even a Heisman. Like Colt said, "you just have to believe."

CLIMATE CHANGE

HAWAI'I MUST ADDRESS WATER USE AND SUPPLY

Climactic changes have been causing global disruptions in the water supply. Australia has been suffering severe droughts for 30 years. The sub-Saharan countries have been seeing a marked increase of desert claimed lands. China and Europe are recording reduced rainfall every year.

The American Southwest has been facing water shortages, as the demand from California, Nevada and Arizona has been increasing along with the population growth in the area.

Now the southeastern states of Georgia, Alabama and Florida are battling for water rights as their reservoirs are drying up. Atlanta fears that it will be completely out of water by year's end at the current rate of consumption. It has been on restricted water use (violators are fined $500-$1,000) since the beginning of the year, and there is no forecast of relief.

A government report indicates that 36 states face water shortages within five years (that same report shows that California, Florida and Texas consume 25 percent of America's water).

After decades of water planning, we should now move to water efficiency and conservation. Hawai'i's water sources are based on rainfall replenishing the aquifers. But we have been encountering several years of decreasing rainfall, so much so that droughts seem to be the norm rather than the exception.

As the number of residents increase, so does the demand for water. It takes years to replenish the aquifers, so we must monitor the consumption to ensure that we do not exceed the rate of replenishment.

Hawai'i residents can face the problem of having water everywhere but not one drop to drink. It is not a matter of if we will face a water problem, but when.