In response to Robert Harrison (“Raise standards for HPD officers,” Star-Advertiser, Letters, April 27), Honolulu Police Department officers must abide by a higher standard of conduct.
If a chef was convicted of driving under the influence of alcohol, or a mechanic convicted of domestic abuse, would they lose their jobs? Not likely. However, these are real consequences for any of our HPD officers in the same situation.
It is unfortunate that some of our HPD officers are under investigation; however, they are a small percentage of our police force. The truth is the majority of our HPD officers are out on the street performing the duties they swore to take on, keeping us safe from harm.
HPD has more good cops than bad cops and we should be grateful for their service to our community.
Robert Cravalho
Moiliili
Farming is hard work, but it’s been worth it
Lee Cataluna should visit Lanai to see my farm, which I started in 2003 (“Farming inspires fantasies but requires viable funding,” Star-Advertiser, April 27).
Turning a former pineapple field into a working farm has been a long, hard task. I was a part of a nationwide movement of people in my generation who wanted to get back onto the land. It hasn’t been easy and I barely manage to cover my farm’s expenses, but I love what I am doing.
If I had known what a farm’s actual startup cost was going to be, I don’t think I would have done it, but the journey has been an adventure that I wouldn’t trade for anything.
Plus, I have the added benefits of being able to eat the best vegetables ever.
Alberta de Jetley
Lanai City, Lanai
Rail critics turned out to be right after all
Regarding the current robust public discussion about the Honolulu heavy-rail project — now mostly negative and often panicked — I often wonder what early opponents who were pushed aside before, like Cliff Slater, must be thinking.
Here is a quote from Frederic Bastiat, French activist economist, from the year 1850 that might help frame what they must be thinking:
“Good Lord! What a lot of trouble to prove in political economy that two and two make four; and if you succeed in doing so, people cry, ‘It is so clear that it is boring.’ Then they vote as if you had never proved anything at all.”
Richard O. Rowland
Chairman and founder, Grassroot Institute of Hawai‘i
Martin should accept blame for rail woes
For the past six years, City Council Chairman Ernie Martin has insisted that the Honolulu Authority for Rapid Transportation’s budget was under the purview of the City Council.
He pontificated about the Council’s role to ensure that the taxpayers’ funds were being well spent. For him to try and shift blame to former HART board Chairman Don Horner and HART Executive Director Dan Grabauskas now is a disgrace.
Instead of calling for their resignations, maybe Martin should tender his own?
Keala Kaanui
Ewa
Right path for Kenoi would be to resign
If Hawaii County Mayor Billy Kenoi hadn’t been caught, how high would he have run up his pCard charges?
If a county clerk borrowed $30,000 of taxpayer money, ignored warnings, then covered up for years, he or she probably would be fired.
Our County Charter advises treating everyone in an “impartial manner.” Kenoi should be treated the same as a clerk.
The Charter says, “All public property and equipment are to be treated as a public trust and are not to be used in a proprietary manner or for personal purposes without proper consent.”
And noncompliance could mean “suspension, [or] removal from office or employment.”
Kenoi is drawing a full salary though he’s hiding to avoid criticism. The right path would be to resign. Instead, the drama drags on as the County Council and Ethics Commission stand by.
This is a civics lesson our young people do not need.
Martha “Cory” Harden
Hilo
Shakespeare exhibit a wonderful treasure
A friend and I attended the opening of the terrific new display of one of Shakespeare’s rare First Folios (“Shakespearean artifact comes to isles,” Star-Advertiser, April 24).
Kudos to Mark Lawhorn and Kapiolani Community College, as well as the Hawaii chapter of the English-Speaking Union, for securing the exhibit for Hawaii. KCC is the only community college in the country to take on the challenges of hosting such an exhibit. We as a community are very fortunate they seized the opportunity to present us with this cultural treasure.
Karin Lynn
Moiliili
FROM THE FORUM
Readers of the Star-Advertiser’s online edition can respond to stories posted there. The following are some of those. Instead of names, pseudonyms are generally used online. They have been removed.
“Victims’ rights bill dies in Capitol” Star-Advertiser, April 25:
>> A constitutional amendment is a pretty drastic step that should only be made in the most extreme of circumstances. This should be done in regular law.
>> The proposed law would have directly interfered with criminal proceedings and perhaps invalidated the verdicts. Victims always have the right to sue the offenders and payouts can be quite large.
>> The failure of this bill is a sad commentary on the work of this year’s Legislature. This is not the first year such legislation has been introduced, and a way to implement victims’ constitutional rights should have long since been figured out. Very disappointing.
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“Brush fire on DHHL plot spurs ire at state agency” Star-Advertiser, April 25:
>> We all know that the state Department of Hawaiian Home Lands does such a good job of managing land.
>> Oh, yeah, blame DHHL rather than the parents of the kids who probably started the fire.
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“ACLU says park bench can serve as address for homeless person registering to vote” Star-Advertiser, April 26:
>> Isn’t America wonderful?
>> Thank you! Last time I checked, poverty was not illegal or disenfranchising. People died for the right to vote freely and equally.
>> Yes, all hail the ACLU because someone who uses a park bench for an address would certainly be a responsible and informed voter.
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“Alleged swindler is indicted over phony concert come-ons” Star-Advertiser, April 26:
>> No need to state he’s the nephew of the Brothers Cazimero. This guy is on his own accord. He certainly doesn’t have their talent or he would not be in the trouble he is in.
>> It’s pertinent info to his backstory and why he might have influence to gain investors. It by no means implies the Brothers Cazimero have anything to do with his dealings, but it’s a newsworthy bit of information.
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“Excess crowds viewing sunrise concern rangers” Star-Advertiser, April 27:
>> Make it very expensive.
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“Farming inspires fantasies but requires viable funding” Star-Advertiser, April 27:
>> Keep in mind there are a multitude of ways of how and what to farm. There’s also farming as a business and farming as a lifestyle. As a business where profits are the bottom line you will always struggle in Hawaii farming — as in the failed businesses mentioned above. The real fantasy in Lee Cataluna’s commentary is the line about “paying farm workers pension plans, health insurance, vacation and sick days.” Farmers don’t get that, so the workers no gonna get ’em either. Find another line of work, if that’s what you want from a job.
>> True sustainability means making sound economic decisions, not blindly following some misguided survivalist’s prepping ideology.
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“Video depicts man on Kauai punching Hawaiian monk seal” Star-Advertiser, April 28:
>> When you catch him, skip the trial. This calls for North Korean justice.
>> Another local lay net fisherman who was getting his catch ripped off? Most of the sly ones wouldn’t get caught on video. When a seal gets found with a bullet hole, there are only ever a couple of suspects. Kauai and Molokai are notorious for their seal killers.
>> That seal has had a rough life.
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“Movie decrying illegal camping created by DLNR” Star-Advertiser, April 28:
>> Squatters are damaging a beautiful resource and the word is getting around. Mahalo to the state Department of Land and Natural Resources for protecting the aina from thoughtless people who want to turn Na Pali into another Kaneohe Sandbar. Mahalo to KFVE for cooperating with the DLNR to educate the public about how a priceless resource can be destroyed by careless people.
>> I think there will come a time when we need to post a DLNR officer in a small station in Kalalau, or some other strategic spot, to send the unpermitted campers and abusers packing — carrying out their own trash, of course.
