PLDC provides for public input

We appreciate and share Lois Gill’s concern for Hawaii’s public lands and have the utmost respect for her and her family’s contribution to improving Hawaii and keeping it the most beautiful place on earth.

We did want to clarify certain things from her commentary ("Public Land Development Corp. is betrayal of public trust," Star-Advertiser, Island Voices, Aug. 13). Act 55 does not give the Public Land Development Corp. the power to sell public land without prior legislative approval, nor is it exempt from laws meant to protect the environment. Any PLDC project would solicit input from the public and would be brought before the communities that they impact and we will continue to encourage community input and participation in our projects.

The vision of the PLDC is to improve public land for the benefit of all people of Hawaii and to ensure that the land is maintained for the people of Hawaii.

Lloyd M. Haraguchi
Executive director, Public Land Development Corp. Honolulu

UH officials waste money

Isn’t it wonderful to know we have highly overpaid chancellors, presidents, directors, administrators, department heads, advisers and attorneys all drawing a paycheck from the citizens of Hawaii at the University of Hawaii? They cut back on classes. They increase tuition, always looking for new fees while complaining about costs. Now someone decides to have a concert and without hesitation they lose $200,000 of taxpayers’ money.

Now they all duck and cover and no one is responsible. All the university president can say is we lost the money. The correct answer is: They lost the taxpayers’ money. How about them paying us back? Now the abbreviation for the university makes sense — UH. That is all they can come up with.

John Waring
Kailua

Clean house at UH-Manoa

Here we go again at University of Hawaii-Manoa. Our new chancellor is much like the old ones. Obfuscate and then begin the process of hiring "new and better" personnel at significantly higher wages. Remember Evan Dobelle and M.R.C. Greenwood? It’s time we go back to playing Whittier and Linfield colleges in football and get rid of our administrative imports. A thorough housecleaning is in order for our state and university system.

Bill Thomas
Manoa

No wastewater along Mokapu

The recent commentary regarding the wastewater tunnel route attempts to persuade city officials to "take the safer and more environmentally friendly route along Mokapu Boulevard" ("Wastewater tunnel route a danger," Star-Advertiser, Island Voices, Aug. 12). That may be so for the writer, but for the residents of this four-lane highway, which services the Marine Corps base and many residents of Kailua, the noise and dust created would be intolerable and would occur within a few yards of residential homes. No one would be able to rent or sell their property for years on end.

The tunnel approach is the only feasible and realistic solution to resolve a problem that nobody wants. The work would be done a good distance away from residential areas. I am certain that city officials with their expert soil engineers have performed their homework and will be able to resolve any problems that may lie ahead. Let us be done with fearmongering and proceed with the tunnel as planned. Keep Mokapu Boulevard out of the equation.

Edwin S. Uyehara
Kailua

Perry & Price need balance

The Bob Sigall column rightly gives kudos to the Perry & Price show ("Perry, Price find great radio in topics of universal appeal," Star-Advertiser, Rearview Mirror, Aug. 17). From the start they have been funny, entertaining and offering a valuable community service with "the posse" whether it was traffic problems, stolen cars, lost pets, or even natural disaster updates.

It always amazed me that other radio stations never really copied the power of this public service format.

However, I believe Perry & Price have fallen victim to some of the same intolerance that infects most of talk radio.It seems that their show has become far more aggressive and opinionated in recent years. Michael W. Perry especially comes across as "I’m right, you’re wrong."

It takes time and effort to listen to both sides of an issue and even more skill to listen to an opposing view. Talk radio, TV and print media should promote meaningful, balanced dialogue.

Jim Wolfe
Nuuanu