Maybe our government needs to stop thinking in terms of essential services and instead transition to the concept of safe services. If a business can show that it implements and enforces a clearly defined set of safety protocols, then it should be allowed to open.

It’s crazy that major retail outlets like Safeway, Walmart and Home Depot are allowed to be open but smaller businesses were kept closed. We should be emphasizing safety, not some nebulous concept of essential.

We should be establishing a task force to set the criteria and hiring enough people who can quickly go out to businesses and evaluate their safety protocols, allowing those that meet the criteria to open. They can provide official placards, similar to the food safety placards, which would identify the businesses that are safe or at least meet the COVID-19 safety protocols.

Roger Garrett

Kapahulu

Fact-checkers needed for presidential debate

The Sept. 29 presidential debate will be watched by a record number of viewers. It would be much more meaningful and beneficial if certain guidelines could be put in place.

Because President Donald “Pinocchio” Trump has told 2,000-plus lies the past 3-1/2 years, there should be a panel of fact checkers with a red light every time a lie or untrue statement is made by Trump or Joe Biden. This would be a huge benefit to the casual political audience who are not avid MSNBC, Fox or CNN viewers. The moderator must be firm on controlling the rules of the debate and the time limited for each candidate. Trump historically refuses to answer questions he dislikes.

Voters need to really assess our next president’s platform nationally and internationally, and how he will best accomplish this with empathy, respect and trustworthiness.

Hal Omori

Mililani

State officials get away with not doing their jobs

I could hardly believe my eyes reading your story (“Former DLIR Director Scott Murakami takes job at DBEDT,” Star-Advertiser, Sept. 15).

Murakami — the former director of the state Department of Labor and Industrial Relations who quit his job during the biggest labor crisis in Hawaii history — is now going to the Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism, whose director, Mike McCartney, refuses to testify before the Legislature because certain senators have been mean to him (“DBEDT and Senate committee communication shuts down amid allegations of bullying, harassment,” Star-Advertiser, June 4). During the biggest business crisis in Hawaii history. Incredible. Who the heck is leading this canoe?

I would love to see either of these men in a private job, where showing up and doing your job is expected.

Valerie Koenig

Business Plans Hawaii

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