Lau best suited to lead Hawaii Island
Under the best of conditions, it is a challenge to strike a balance between the desire to preserve Hawaii’s rich cultural history and the need for economic progress.
Passionate and compelling arguments can be made on both sides of the issue.
If trust and leadership is absent, arguments quickly become emotional clashes that are difficult to recover from and can fragment our community. As the former lead state archaeologist for DLNR on Hawaii Island, I was often placed in the center of the debate on preservation versus development. Attempts to navigate the divide often required collaboration between the State and County of Hawaii. Through this collaboration I gained a lot of respect for Wally Lau and his leadership ability.
Lau was the top member of the previous administration, and he was often needed to open lines of communication between opposing viewpoints in order to resolve the most difficult situations. Lau’s leadership isn’t overly loud. He finds solutions by listening carefully to people’s concerns and not by talking over them.
Lau has a deep respect for Hawaiian culture and Hawaii’s history. He also understands the need for economic growth that creates the opportunities we need to provide for our families. I support Lau for mayor because I know that he is the best suited to lead Hawaii Island toward responsible economic growth that preserves and perpetuates the things that we love about this place.
Michael Vitousek
Kealakekua