A Hawaii free of virus would attract visitors

We should do everything we can to become COVID-19-free in Hawaii. We are almost there.

Going out in a CovidFree environment is less risky than going out in an environment that has a little virus. Marketing a CovidFree vacation will deliver better results than marketing a vacation with a little virus.

All those arriving at our airports and harbors (pilots, crew, residents, students and visitors) should be tested for the coronavirus if they are coming into Hawaii. Those tested need to wait for results. We need to make strict quarantine plans for those who test positive.

We should use the coronavirus tests currently used elsewhere that provide results in three to four hours. If we can find a test that provides results in 60 minutes or less, that would be much easier.

This program will allow us to open our schools and businesses as we wait for the vaccine.

John Brizdle

Palolo Valley

Everyone could share in pain of pay cuts

As public workers, my colleagues and I work extremely hard and diligently for the community and our clients. We are overworked. We are underpaid compared to our counterparts on the mainland, who do not experience Hawaii’s cost of living.

In 2009, the state budget was balanced on the backs of state workers during the recession, with furloughs and cuts in pay. It was grueling for our single-parent household.

State workers are working to keep you safe, provide services to the community, and keep intact all the services that you will rely on when this crisis is over. We are helping the economy to recover.

Balancing the state budget for all on the backs of only state workers is not fair. I propose that every employer in Hawaii take the same percentage of everyone’s salary and turn it over to the state to balance the budget. That way, everyone participates in balancing the state budget. Then perhaps the loss of income may only be 1%-2% for all and not 10%-20% for critical state workers.

Debra Lambert

Kaneohe

Jobless would take pay cut for a government job

To all government employees (first responders and teachers aside) who feel they should be immune from the extraordinary economic fallout caused by COVID-19: There are some 26 million nationally and some 250,000 locally who would gladly take a pay cut instead of being unemployed.

Orson Moon

Aiea

Reopening parks could cause virus to spread

I feel that this COVID-19 pandemic is nowhere close to over, and yet parks already are reopening. I have a bad feeling that we’re going to have an uncontrollable spike in cases.

After all, it only takes one infected person to cough and then you have 10 or even 20 infected people. Pretty soon, if the breakout isn’t handled, you’d have 50 or even more people infected. That’s a risk I wouldn’t be willing to take.

I know that state and county officials are taking precautionary measures, but they don’t even make sense. For example, the only things that you can do at the park are run, walk, jog or bike, but you can do that literally anywhere else.

I express this concern because I hope for our beautiful islands to remain peaceful and not get thrown into chaos. Stay safe.

Connor Kelsey

Ewa Beach

Ige lacks decisiveness needed during crisis

Recent articles and letters to the editor note a new-found respect for the value of teachers who, especially during this pandemic, have demonstrated extraordinary resourcefulness and dedication to their profession.

Yet Gov. David Ige suggested a 20% pay cut for teachers. At the same time, an unknown number of state employees were getting full pay for staying at home.

More recently, a series of confusing edicts from Indecisive Ige and his administration offered conflicting guidance as to whether florists can make deliveries on Mother’s Day.

For too long, despite continuing expressions of support to advance the Thirty Meter Telescope — a “shovel- ready” project — the TMT has languished because of the governor’s resistance to making a decision on this issue.

The Nasty Narcissus in Washington may be gone after the next election, Mayor Kirk Caldwell will finish his term, but we are stuck with Incompetent Ige until 2022.

We can’t afford to go more than two years without competent leadership. We need a more decisive, brave governor.

Frank Oliva

Kailua

Democrats silent about claims against Biden

Where is the “#MeToo” movement, the media and the Democratic Party on accusations of sexual assault by former Vice President Joe Biden, made by Tara Reade, a former Democratic senatorial staffer?

She has three credible witnesses, including her late mother in an archived video in 1993, in which she asked CNN’s Larry King video what can be done to help her daughter.

It took just three days after The Washington Post published the accusations against Brett Kavanaugh for U.S. Sen. Mazie Hirono to tell all men to “shut up” and that women should not only be heard but believed.

Why the silence now from the left-wing media, potential women Democratic vice presidential candidates and Democratic leaders? Since when does political embarrassment take second place to women’s rights?

Joe Tanaka

Aiea

KINDNESS GOING VIRAL

Even in these days overshadowed by the coronavirus, bright spots exist. If you see kindness or positivity going on, share it with our readers via a 150-word letter to the editor; email it to letters@staradvertiser.com. We’ll be running some of these uplifting letters occasionally to help keep spirits up, as we hunker down. We are all in this together.

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