No more luxury projects until local needs met
It’s been said that if you remove the media from Maunakea it will eventually stop the movement. There is a road, a visitor center and telescopes already there so what’s the big deal about putting up one more? Religion aside, how about enough is enough.
Resorts, condos, golf courses, private clubs all for them nothing for us. How about public housing dependable public transportation and a new hospital? The resorts create jobs but service work pay doesn’t cover the cost of living and usually requires a second job to survive.
Protecting Maunakea is hopefully the tip of the iceberg. When TMT moves on to Spain, I truly hope that our people continue to make a statement and that statement should be no more luxury projects until the needs for those who call Hawaii home are seen to. The cost of the movement is over $4 million foolishly spent on an army of police sent to a peaceful organized protest while a school teacher begs for air conditioning so our children can concentrate on their lessons. This is education in process everyday: a child is to hot to concentrate, is a day lost along with any education that was to be gained that day. I truly hope that people will continue to stand up and let our leaders that the time has come to take care of “our” needs before profit.
Paul Santos
Ocean View
Governor’s accomplishments
It looks like the TMT is not going to happen while Governor Ige is in office. Unfortunately he will not be able to put this accomplishment on his resume.
Here is a list of David Ige’s accomplishments while Governor of the State of Hawaii that he put on his resume.
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Vicky Halquist
Kailua Kona resident
The pain of doing business
Governor Ige,
Forty years ago I came to Hawaii from Oregon and started a business in Hawaii. I was advised that Hawaii was a very difficult place to do business. But I ignored the advice, and started the business. Now, let’s fast-forward 40 years….my business is still operating, hires local people, and has been very successful. Because of this business, I was able to move to Hawaii, and raise my daughter here. She went off to college, but was able to return to Hawaii, her home, because her husband got a job with one of the telescopes, a high-tech job he was searching for. My daughter is now going to join my business, what we proudly call our “family business.”
But what if the business climate back in 1979 was like today? With the Super Ferry being defeated, and TMT, which has passed every test that has been thrown at it, and now being prevented from building their business by lawbreaking individuals, blocking their access to where they want to build. I can tell you with absolute certainty, that NO, I would not have come here with my business. Do you, Gov. Ige, realize the immense impact that this is having on business in Hawaii, and future business?
It is so very past the time to remove the lawbreaking protestors, open the Access Road, and allow TMT to proceed with building their telescope that will benefit all of mankind.
Wendy Minor
Waimea
A history of travesty
In response to a recent letter that stated that Hawaiian lands were not stolen. I too have read much of Hawaiian history and taken several classes at both the University of Hawaii at Manoa and Hilo. In order to have a full understanding and appreciation of the tragedy of the Hawaiian people you have to go back to the day the first Westerner arrived in Hawaii.
The Great Mahele was ordered by the King at the persistent advice of Western advisers. Hawaiians did not have a concept of owning land. That was a western concept. Western Advisors told the King that Hawaii would likely be annexed by a foreign country someday and having title to land would protect their rights. The Western advisors ulterior motive was to begin the takeover of the free Republic of Hawaii. Because Hawaiians did not value the concept of “owning” the sacred aina, many did not register for the Mahele. Many traded the piece of paper they received for a gallon of alcohol. Not because they were foolish but again because they had no concept of “owning” land.
The history, an accurate history, only gets worse from there. There was the bayonet constitution, where King Kalakaua was forced at gunpoint by Westerners to sign a constitution that robbed him of power and furthered the agenda of Western takeover. Then there was the illegal overthrow of the sovereign nation of Hawaii and the subsequent illegal annexation.
What is happening at Mauna Kea is not just about TMT. It’s about a proud indigenous people that have been wronged for well over a hundred years. This is the line in the proverbial sand!
Steven Pavao
Hilo