SUPERFERRY

IS SUPERFERRY PROTEST JUST A KAUA'I THING?

Where were all the protesters and the Sierra Club when the new boat going from Barbers Point to the Aloha Tower started service?

Is it a Kaua'i thing? I don't really think it is an environmental issue at stake here. It's Americans being able to see one of the 50 states in a more convenient way.

Here's an idea: Let's have TheBus people on O'ahu run the Superferry. Apparently, they can make it happen.

WILL KAUA'I, MAUI OBJECT TO CRUISE SHIP?

Wow! A queen-sized ship capable of carrying more than 2,600 passengers arrived in Honolulu last Wednesday and will tour the Islands.

Will such a large number of people arriving in one fell swoop be welcome on Kaua'i and Maui? That sure is a much larger number of visitors than the Superferry would disembark on any given day.

O'AHU LIVES OFF FUNDS FROM NEIGHBOR ISLANDS

A recent letter about Gov. Linda Lingle's treatment on Kaua'i said: "Perhaps what the people of Kaua'i need is a wakeup call. Since these same people have no problem living off the finances provided by O'ahu, let's leave them on their own for a while and see how they fare."

This letter writer has got to be kidding.

Maybe O'ahu needs a wakeup call. They take all the tax revenue from outer island resorts and harbors, yet give very little back.

Maybe if the outer islands were allowed to keep their revenue, their infrastructure could be built up. Then we could see how O'ahu would fare, considering now they are living on our dime.

POOR DECISION BY STATE MAY COST US THE FERRY

Don't blame the Superferry protesters.

They are only voicing the concerns that were ignored until now. These and many other concerns regarding the impact of the Superferry could have been addressed a long time ago had the state listened earlier and filed an environmental impact statement.

We are now in a panic situation. The bottom line is that we are facing a huge financial loss, both the state and the operator, and it could have been avoided.

The Department of Transportation has indicated that the harbor users will bear the brunt of the cost. Who are they kidding? Ultimately, the consumers will be paying for it since our cargo carriers will be passing on any cost increase directly to us.

The administration, the Department of Transportation and whoever else was responsible for the decision-making should be held responsible and accountable. Tens of millions of dollars of losses should not be forgotten.

If a private corporation made this mistake, the responsible parties would be removed or reprimanded.

Poor decisions by the administration may cost us the Superferry. What a shame.

KAILUA

CASE LAW SUPPORTS OPEN ACCESS TO BEACHES

Regarding the article, "Kailua residents get a say on gates" (Sept. 26), the issue reminds me of our battle two decades ago to keep beach access on Kalaheo open to the public. We were successful.

What landowners beachside of Kalaheo fail to understand is the legal principle of "implied dedication." The Hawai'i Supreme Court in two significant cases described the principle and the particulars necessary for its application. The case law states when land is subdivided to include roadways and those roadways appear on the plat map for that subdivision, those roadways are considered "public" even if still held in private hands. Value of those roadways is nominal.

In the 1980s, Councilmen David Kahanu and Neil Abercrombie assisted Kuulei Community Association by sponsoring legislation condemning just such a roadway based on these case laws. That "private" roadway to the beach at the end of a cul-de-sac is now "public," owned and maintained by the city. Actions attempted by the landowner seeking to keep the public off the right-of-way backfired; he no longer lives in the house. The City Council took the right action with Hawai'i Supreme Court case law to back it up.

While I no longer reside in Kailua, I urge the residents of Kailua, who yet again are being harmed by uninformed beachside landowners, to make use of the case law on implied dedication. Gain support of the City Council to keep access to Kailua's beautiful beach open wherever "public" roadway rights of way exist.

Strong precedent exists within the council to keep gates and barriers to beach access out of the several existing Kalaheo Avenue public roadway rights-of-way.

KAPI'OLANI BLVD.

CONING ADJUSTED AS A RESULT OF READER'S LETTER

This is in response to Ms. Suzanne Kosanke's Sept. 20 letter to The Honolulu Advertiser regarding the contraflow traffic coning of Kapi'olani Boulevard while driving eastbound.

Our field investigation found that there have been some inconsistencies in the placement of the contraflow coning. We have notified the appropriate coning crew to place the correct coning pattern and signage at the intersection of Kapi'olani and University Avenue.

We wish to thank Ms. Kosanke for taking the time to point out this public-safety discrepancy.

OCEANIC

NOT EVERYONE CAN SEE MISSING KIDS CHANNEL

In response to Peter Boylan's Sept. 18 article, "Missing kids to be posted on TV channel," one important detail was not explained.

Although this is an important step in locating missing children, more needs to be done. Not everyone who is a subscriber or user of Oceanic Time Warner will be able to view channel 110.

I am not able to view channel 110 because I do not use a converter box. Although I pay for the Value Service package, I do not need a converter, nor want one due to additional fees. I also do not wish to watch HBO or other special channels because of the cost. My TV and VCR all can program channel 110, but it is not accessible without a converter box.

I feel Time Warner Oceanic exploits me enough with its high cost of service fees.

Maybe Time Warner Oceanic should program on other community free channels, that are accessible, such as channels 52 through 55.

WAIKIKI

HANDICAPPED SENIOR HOMELESS NEED HELP

As I casually walk down the sidewalk makai of Waikiki Beach passing Duke's statue, I see the homeless who are trying to blend in with the everyday crowd. The ones who stand out a great deal to me are the handicapped senior citizens.

I plead with the governor and the mayor to do something for the handicapped homeless senior citizens.

CHARITY

CAN MORE LIGHT BE SHED ON NONPROFITS?

Thank you for your excellent coverage involving nonprofit programs in Hawai'i.

I have worked in our community as a physician for more than 50 years, and have been actively involved in many of these programs.

I have participated and served on some of these programs, volunteered to assist the AUW and chaired the state Board of Health. I have often found myself questioning how some of these organizations work to provide their benefits for all of us.

Today, we find that there are more than 5,100 of these organizations claiming a federal tax-exempt status. Hardly a day goes by that I do not find a letter in my mail requesting money for these causes.

Words like "charity," "welfare," even "health," and "environment" have lost their luster for me, and my sense of compassion, empathy, and altruism have somehow become diminished.

I do not doubt that these nonprofit organizations intend to provide some social good for others in the community. However, I fail to fully understand how thousands of these publicly privileged agencies work to provide these benefits for our community. Could their work be enhanced or improved were they to share their ideas and tasks with other programs with common aims and goals?

Of the 5,100 charitable programs that John Flanagan discussed in his Sept. 25 column, how many are members of his Hawai'i Alliance of Nonprofit Organizations? Could he release the names of these organizations and their stated purposes and goals? This may shine more light upon these nonprofit programs for us so that we may better understand how we should respond to their requests for financial help.