Now more food packager than grower, Okimoto not only advocates conversion of farm land to homes at both Ho‘opili and Koa Ridge, but also a farm food safety program that favors imported produce and forces farmers out of the Kapiolani Farmers Market venue.

Let’s stop worshipping agriculture’s false idols.

Al Santoro
Waialua

Environmentalists support agriculture

I was very impressed by Dean Okimoto’s resume and his responses to your interview questions ("Dean Okimoto," Star- Advertiser, Name in the News, Aug. 26).

He is certainly a qualified, hands-on supporter and promoter of Hawaii agriculture with a keen understanding of the problems and opportunities.

I don’t fully understand his negativity about environmental groups because they are essentially on the some page with support for agriculture. But primarily I am concerned about his seemingly contradictory position on the Ho‘opili development where only 250 out of 1,500 acres of the best agricultural land in the state (with its own water and an existing farm) would be retained.

Okimoto has been a strong supporter of the rail system, which has been highly touted for its potential for taking pressure off of the development of agricultural land by providing housing around the 21 stations. Okimoto should give some further thought to this new aspect or vision of island development, which will strongly reduce the demand to convert the agricultural lands.

Chuck Prentiss
President, Hawaii’s Thousand Friends

Rail money could be better spent

The commentary, "Rail is Oahu’s future" (Star-Advertiser, Insight, Aug. 28) scares me for the future.

The mayor, two union executives and three others make the case that rail will create jobs and spur the economy. Couldn’t the same thing be said if the general excise tax surcharge were used for more productive projects? Building rail to move minimum-wage Leeward residents to their jobs in Waikiki hardly creates anything more than continued low incomes.

Use the money to build a world-class University of Hawaii-West Oahu campus. Leeward children could get a good education without crowding the roads to UH-Manoa; it also would create good high-paying jobs and eventually improve our quality of life and our future.

To say that rail and its forever operations and maintenance costs is our future is to say to Leeward residents that they cannot ever do better than a minimum wage job in Waikiki.

Pam Lee Smith
Ewa Beach

Koa Ridge setback very disappointing

I have been following the Koa Ridge development story and am very disappointed there is another setback.

We live in a paradise that is difficult to enjoy because of how expensive everything is. And homes are the most expensive thing.

I was looking forward to a new development where I could afford to live with my family. Technical delays only drive up the cost of homes and make the dream of home ownership more out of reach for people like me. Our courts are not looking out for my best interests.

Dwayne Shimizu
Kaneohe

Immigration raids seem to be racist

My outrage at Hawaii residents being profiled by immigration officials and "pulled from their homes and public places without warning, handcuffed and placed in federal prisons cells" ("Illegal immigrants held on minor infractions," Star-Advertiser, Aug. 28) brought to mind anti-Nazi theologian Martin Niemoller’s words: "They came first for the Communists and I didn’t speak up because I wasn’t a Communist. Then they came for the Jews and I didn’t speak up because I wasn’t a Jew. Then they came for the trade unionists and I didn’t speak up because I wasn’t a trade unionist. …Then they came for me, and by that time no one was left to speak up."

To think that I, a brown-skinned, black-haired, other-heritage human being could perhaps be nabbed while sitting on a park bench or sleeping in my home because an immigration employee decided to single me out for questioning based on racial profiling makes me want to puke.

Wylma C. Samaranayake-Robinson
Honolulu

UH game in Japan not worth the cost

I question the idea to play a University of Hawaii football game in Japan just as UH is considering raising tuition fees.

Even if the university is able to get sponsors to pay for the trip, wouldn’t the funds be better utilized to help offset the cost of education for student-athletes?

I understand the promotional, value the games in Japan would create. However, $500,000-$600,000 is not the best expenditure of funds by UH.

Our relationship with Japan is outstanding, but an idea like this cannot be sustained. We will be paying Mountain West Conference teams $150,000-$175,000 to travel here for conference games, and another thought is to use sponsor’s money to pay for these costs instead. Sponsors would be recognized locally and on the mainland where our opponents are from.

Sen. Will Espero
D-20th (Ewa, Honouliuli, Ewa Beach)