Dolphin tours need better monitoring
I was wondering about the swim with dolphin tours that occur in Kailua Bay.
There seems to be a lot of boats that chase the dolphins around and let the customers “swim with dolphins.” These boaters go into the swimmers’ zone with no regard for the swimmers or paddle- boarders. Some even circle around with no apparent reason with 50 to 75 people in the water.
Do they not know swimming with dolphins is harmful to them and may even be harassment under the Marine Mammal Protection Act? Do they not know viewing guidelines state that you should stay 50 yards away and limit viewing time to 30 minutes?
It’s time to start monitoring and regulating these commercial operations and start protecting the dolphins and swimmers and the rest who want to use the bay as a form of relaxation without having to worry about being swarmed with tour boats trying to make a dollar.
Kawika Quon
Kailua-Kona
A lack of planning at Planning Dept.
Should we laugh or cry?
The 10-year general plan is due by law from our planning department next year.
They say it takes several years to complete, so it should have started maybe in 2012-13. But wait, it hasn’t even been started yet and is due in seven months!
The “planning” department which is exhibiting a lack of planning is asking for the law to be changed so it just has to initiate the plan by the deadline. So just thinking that it is due is good enough to get a pass. It’s sort of like the plan 20-plus years ago to get Queen Kaahumanu Highway widened to the airport: we’re still thinking about it and that should be good enough.
It occurs every 10 years folks; it isn’t exactly like it sneaks up on you. It is the planning department after all. The ones who are the masters at this trade seem to have missed a milestone that should have started two years ago. The manager of the planning department two years ago was Bobby Jean Leithead Todd, our now environmental head.
So what’s the county’s “plan” for this department’s lack of planning? It is to give them raises for their outstanding efforts in being derelict in their duties.
Here is my plan: Until the general plan is complete, no pay raises for anyone in the planning department. I bet it gets done on time.
Richard Fucik
Kalaoa