If the state needs to assume the responsibility for the costs of a second reliable COVID-19 test, three to four days after tourists arrive, it would be cheaper than fixing the rail problem or the homeless problem, both of which have been an eyesore for years. And it probably will help resolve our current situation sooner.

It’s smarter to reassure the public that things are under control before things get out of control. It’s becoming so obvious why Hawaii’s problems linger. The people who run the state don’t know who to follow. It’s necessary to invest in a second reliable COVID-19 test so people will continue to have a reason to visit Hawaii.

Once things get bad, I’m sorry to say, we’ll see there are other destinations that took better care of their problems. Plainly, it’s not worth the wait. Take the necessary precautions now.

Matthew Bernstein

Waianae

Limited gambling can help state’s economy

I am extremely concerned about Hawaii’s economic future. We all realize how this virus has affected our personal and state’s pocketbook. The politicians who run our state have always been slow to move in any direction, and this inaction must not continue.

We could have restricted gambling on interisland ships, which may help our islands as well as the travel industry. Could we conceivably have some sort of lottery or a lottery tied in to Powerball?

The Legislature also needs to look into the very profitable marijuana trade. How can we cash in, safely? I certainly do not profess to know if these are viable solutions. I do know we need to be serious about manufacturing and technology.

However, the state cannot continue evading this problem and taking decades and millions of dollars to do studies. Our families and the future of our children demand action.

Judith Santos

Kailua

Ko Olina can’t block locals from beaches

Auwe to the managing dictatorship overseeing Ko Olina Resort.

Since the inception of the resort, the management has tried to keep the locals out of the beaches that belong to the people of Hawaii. It’s okay for us to clean their hotel rooms, serve their patrons at their restaurants, and pick up their trash and dead leaves on the property. However, we should stay away from our beaches at their command.

Ko Olina has created the largest divide of “them” vs. “us,” between the tourist and the locals, of any hotel community on the island. The resort was allowed to provide minimal parking at best, making it difficult to take our families to the beach on the best of days. And now this.

Stop thinking the local people are foolish enough to believe that Ko Olina is concerned for our health (“Ko Olina bans public from lagoon beaches,” Star-Advertiser, Oct. 8). The state needs to stop this immediately.

Maybe we should hire a private bus and start busing locals into the lagoons.

Kim Silva

Kapolei

Ige must make tough decisions on travel

Gov. David Ige needs to finally show he has some leadership skills, to step up and make a decision regarding travel, both trans-Pacific and interisland.

At this point he seems like a spineless puppet that the county mayors are controlling. He failed to make a tough decision regarding reopening our economy and punted, allowing the mayors of each island to make the tough decision.

This is not going to work. If it weren’t so devastating to our communities and economy, it’s almost comical. Hawaii is either open for business and travel, or it is not.

Oct. 15 is less than a week away, and as of now the reopening plan for trans-Pacific travel is a complete mess, as well as any plan to reopen interisland travel, which is also critical to our economy.

It’s time for the governor to make one tough decision during his time as our state leader, and do it now. We are close to falling off a cliff.

Dean McPhail

Kailua-Kona

Vote yes on creating city youth commission

All 2020 general election ballots should have been or will soon be delivered to voters on Oahu. Don’t forget to turn over the ballot to vote for the important “Proposed Amendments to the Honolulu City Charter.”

Oahu County Democrats encourage you to vote “YES” on Proposed Amendment #2: “Shall the Revised City Charter be amended to establish a Youth Commission under the Managing Director?”

Lorna Takehara Strand

Chair, Oahu County Democrats

Aiea

Wilcox’s remarkable legacy at PBS Hawai‘i

Leslie Wilcox, president and CEO of PBS Hawai‘i since 2007, is stepping down after 48 years of service in Hawaii media ( “PBS Hawai’i CEO Wilcox to step down, Star-Advertiser, Oct. 1).

Her performance as head of PBS Hawai‘i has been truly outstanding and it will not be easy to find an appropriate replacement with the same competent and productive leadership that she has shown in her job. She has made PBS Hawai‘i a truly remarkable institution of learning about local and global issues that are informative and relevant to our daily lives.

I thank Leslie Wilcox for the legacy that she leaves behind, developing PBS Hawai’i as a vital public service upholding fact-based journalism and universal access to education. I’m also grateful for having known her personally and learning a lot from her on a number of topics and issues.

She will sorely be missed, but being a lifelong resident of Hawaii, she expects to come back to “home is here” in Hawaii in the near future.

Belinda A. Aquino

Moiliili

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