Bad to stop stadium ‘P3’ at this late stage

I am appalled at the ill-advised decision by Gov. David Ige to stop the stadium procurement. Why at this late stage in his administration, when the Department of Accounting and General Services (DAGS) is about to release its request for proposals and has three prequalified development teams? Where was the public’s review and input on this major redirection? The current schedule calls for contract awarding by 2023, and construction finishing by 2026. Why stop now?

Public-Private Partnership (P3) has been shown nationally and globally as the best means to ensure a major capital project gets delivered on-time, on-budget and built with lasting quality, as the developer must also operate and maintain the asset long-term.

This ill-timed decision wipes out at least five years of earnest and careful planning by DAGS to deliver the best stadium and entertainment district including affordable housing for the people of Hawaii.

Rodney Funakoshi

Ala Moana

Use beach stand as zoo, aquarium booth

The empty Kuhio Beach covered stand No. 4 should be filled with a ticket booth for the zoo and aquarium. It could be operated by Friends of the Zoo and Aquarium, or the zoo and the aquarium themselves. This would increase attendance at both attractions near Kapiolani Park.

Zoo, aquarium and beach merchandise could be part of the booth, as well as information about the histories of Kuhio Beach Park, Kapiolani Regional Park, the Honolulu Zoo and the Waikiki Aquarium.

The flimsy and broken security fencing between the pillars should be replaced by heavy-duty commercial roll-down fencing, as seen all over Honolulu in store doorways and condo garage doors.

Additionally, Kuhio Beach Park lawn areas are in ultra-shabby condition and the city should restore them immediately, and hook up all the outdoor showers to the sanitary sewer system as was required by the shoreline management permit that allowed the city to redevelop the park in 1997.

Robert Rodman

Downtown

If pandemic’s ‘over,’ why retain policies?

On “60 Minutes” last Sunday, President Joe Biden told the nation, “The pandemic is over.” The hypocrisy of that statement is stunning.

If the pandemic is over, then why is he claiming authority to cancel student loan debt, under the HEROES Act law of 2003, which may only be used in time of “national emergency”? Why also are our federal employees and members of our armed forces still under draconian vaccine mandates?

Lastly, why are we still continuing record high levels of government spending, when inflation is the highest in 40 years and heading toward an economic recession?

Mark Saxon

Kahului

Homeless kupuna need help, not talk

As I was making my daily walk downtown, one particular homeless person stood out among the many others I’ve encountered: a wahine kupuna. My heart sank as I watched this precious life walk back and forth with only a dirty small aloha handbag, swollen legs and her beautiful gray hair. Emotion overtook me.

Our kupuna have left a legacy of the true gift and spirit of aloha unrivaled for the world to experience. How can our elected officials campaign on such a crucial life-and-death issue, only to allow it to ripen to a point of no return?

Hilahila ‘ole on them. They promise to make these people a priority, but when they get into elected office leave them destitute. Let’s not go through the countless reason why — drugs, mental illness, they chose this — they are still people who deserve our love and care. How many more of those, who have raised us in the beautiful land of aloha?

Janet Hochberg

Downtown Honolulu

Simplify confusing airport posts’ signage

In a confusing world of letters and numbers, it amazes me that the many posts at Honolulu’s Daniel K. Inouye International Airport have several numbers on them. Why?

Anyone who has been to the airport recently finds this dual number system totally confusing.

A solution would be to use letters to identify the posts, so that picking up our happy tourist friends and returning family would be so much easier.

Jim Delmonte

Hawaii Kai

Leaders should unite, not divide citizens

Am I the only one who views U.S. Sen. Mazie Hirono’s remarks — that because of the overturning of Roe v. Wade, she has called for a “literal call to arms” — dangerous and divisive? Imagine being hunted because you believe that babies are sacrosanct. What does that tell you about the people, like Sen. Hirono, who believe otherwise?

We need less division and more unity from our “leaders,” if we ever wish to coexist with different beliefs. People like the senator are not helping.

Clarence Weatherwax

Kailua

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