PARSONS BRINCKERHOFF

INFRACONSULT NOT ASSOCIATED WITH FIRM

Typically, we at Parsons Brinckerhoff do not respond to the many articles written about the firm, but due to some false impressions created by Sean Hao's Sept. 15 article, "Three major contracts for O'ahu rail project linked to same firm," we are compelled to respond to several of those items.

InfraConsult LLC is not associated with PB, nor does PB have any control over, or connection to, the former PB employees with InfraConsult.

Every other consulting firm mentioned in the article also has professional staff who previously worked at PB and PB has many employees who were formerly with other firms. It is the nature of the engineering/architectural consulting business.

PB openly and fairly competed for the Alternatives Analysis and the Preliminary Engineering/Environmental Impact Statement contracts. Both procurements were run in strict compliance with federal and state laws following the Qualifications Based Selection process designed to select the consultant that provides the best value combination of experience, skill and cost.

Further, PB only provided program management services for certain portions of the Tren Urbano rail project in San Juan, Puerto Rico. PB was not the program manager for the entire project nor was PB involved in the planning phase of the project, as the article implies. As a subcontractor to Siemens, PB provided certain interface coordination services for the systems and test track turnkey contract, including vehicles, train control, electrification, trackwork and communication systems.

PB has been a continuous member of the Honolulu community for more than 40 years. Our staff live and work in the Honolulu community. PB's team for the transit project includes 39 local subconsultants whose staff also live and work in Honolulu.

PB is proud of the service it has provided to the people of the City and County of Hono-lulu over the past 40 years and will continue to serve the people of our community.

INAPPROPRIATE E-MAILS

JOHNSON APOLOGIZED, ADMITTED ACTION STUPID

As a 74-year-old African-American male, born in the Deep South, I've been the victim of racism on many occasions. I do not know Rex Johnson, who has been CEO of Hawai'i Tourism Authority since 2002, but if it took six years for him to show up on the racist/sexist radar, he is a poor excuse for what constitutes being a racist or sexist. Rex used bad judgment, but I question if it was anything more than that.

Rex hasn't tried to excuse his irresponsible behavior. He's apologized and admitted that what he did was stupid. He accepted the punishment he was given, without protesting, and has vowed to work hard at doing what is necessary to make amends.

Having been in Christian ministry for some 40 years, I feel the appropriate course of action would be for us to put on the shoes he is now wearing, and then treat him the way we would want to be treated if we were in his shoes.

Incidentally, I've not seen any complaints against his work record.

We have all made mistakes. "Let him that is without sin among you cast the first stone."

DON'T DEPRIVE STATE OF JOHNSON'S LEADERSHIP

Recent articles regarding Hawai'i Tourism Authority CEO Rex Johnson's use of a state computer to forward alleged sexist and racist e-mails are unwarranted.

Worldwide, literally millions of e-mails are received and forwarded daily containing infinite subject matters. Some are good for a momentary and harmless chuckle. To conclude Johnson (or anyone else) is racist and sexist because he forwarded unsolicited e-mails is far-reaching and indicts millions of other users.

It was too easy and tempting for Gov. Linda Lingle, the NAACP and the JACL to pass up an opportunity to garner publicity over Johnson's lapse of good judgment. Board of Education member John Penebacker's supportive opinion of Johnson is much more credible than the governor or the respective groups' assertions. Penebacker, who is African-American, was a successful University of Hawai'i basketball player and a respected public servant.

Nobody lives in a glass house. Everybody makes mistakes. To fire Johnson and deprive the state of his successful leadership is wrong.

ELECTION

VOTER LAMENT: CHANGE NEVER SEEMS TO COME

In regard to the recent article on low voter turnout: It's just speculation, but maybe the reason voter turnout is so low is because people feel it's pointless — that the politicians will follow their personal agendas regardless of their constituents' feelings.

Our elected officials have continuously ignored the public's opinions and feelings. Yes, we should show our disapproval by voting for change, but change never seems to come — everyone makes promises, then pursues their own agendas once in office.

Voting equals change? Someone, please tell me how Hawai'i has significantly changed for the better over the past few elections.

SELF-SERVING POLITICIANS SHOULD BE VOTED OUT

For those who watched the results on television Saturday night, they heard one candidate who, when asked how he felt about not getting more than 50 percent of the vote, said it doesn't matter, the outcome is inevitable.

What arrogance, especially in a public servant, when people are voting for a person to fill a position of responsibility. What an air of superiority to say the outcome is not in doubt.

What does he feel about the other 50 percent, who did not think he deserves another term? How self-serving of anyone to predict that the outcome of anything is inevitable.

This one statement just scratches the surface of what politics in Hawai'i is about, a single party saying no matter what election it is, the outcome is inevitable.

This one slap in the face of the electorate of Hawai'i should be enough to awaken a sleeping giant and toss all of those arrogant, self-serving politicians out and replace them with servants of the people.

This attitude permeates our one-party system, from local offices, through state office and on to the national level.

Shouldn't we wake up and stop voting the way our parents did and their parents did, not thinking what is at stake and what may be gained by voting for change in Hawai'i politics?

If anything is inevitable, it should be the will of the people of Hawai'i to retire these self-serving politicians come Nov. 4.

FALLS OF CLYDE

SHIP COULD OFFER MARITIME EXPERIENCE

Thank you for standing strongly behind saving the beautiful Falls of Clyde.

Hawai'i could learn from Santa Barbara, Calif., where the Santa Barbara Maritime Museum presents the Spirit of Dana Point Tall Ship Education Program. Students board the dockside sailing ship, Spirit of Dana Point, paying $100 for a "real life adventure" on a tall ship.

This maritime program brings history alive through the re-creation of the life of a 19th century sailor aboard a tall ship.

The Spirit Program has been developed for fourth-grade students and is based on Richard Henry Dana Jr.'s book, "Two Years Before the Mast."

Students are immersed in the unique world Dana faced as he rounded Cape Horn on his voyage to Alta California. Students explore man's relationship with the ocean, gain an appreciation for maritime heritage, and understand the concept of "historical perspectives" and "interpretation." Through challenging hands-on activities, students develop problem-solving, critical thinking, communication and teamwork skills.

A fifth-grade program has students signed on as sailors to escape the economic crisis in Salem caused by the Revolutionary War. Students learn to navigate, defend and maintain their ship while trading in foreign ports. The program curriculum offers interdisciplinary lessons in math, science, language arts, social studies and music.

Hawai'i could do this too. Students and tourists would love the experience.

Hawai'i's rich maritime history and the Falls of Clyde would come to life again.

EDUCATION

BUDGET CUTS? SAY NO TO DRUG TESTING TEACHERS

As I perused the newspaper the other morning before going to work, two articles caught my attention. One was an editorial about drug testing of teachers and another was about the need to cut $69 million from the Hawai'i schools budget.

Now, I am not a mathematical wizard by any stretch, but when I have to make budget decisions I have a "pecking order" of cutbacks. I'll equate food to educating our children and I'll equate the war on drugs to, say, an expensive habit I have that has never borne any fruit.

Generally, I will choose to eat rather than continue to throw good money after bad. But that's just me.

Just one Green Harvest patrol costs as much as supplying computers to an entire elementary school. That's an expensive gardening trip.

Stop drug testing the people who take on the awesome responsibility of teaching our kids, sacrificing their financial well-being to do so, and, who knows, maybe we could afford to pay them a little more.