Act 55 verges on the criminal

Ever since the advent of statehood in 1959, there has been a tug-of-war between the proper development of Hawaii based on thoughtful planning and helter-skelter catch-as-catch-can development based on how much money can be made and how fast it can be made.

To treat public lands casually, as mentioned in Lois Gill’s column, verges on the criminal ("Public Land Development Corp. is betrayal of public trust," Star-Advertiser, Island Voices, Aug. 13).

These islands favored all of us with unusual beauty. Over the past 50 years, many people have spent a great deal of time in an attempt to find a reasonable balance between protecting the beauty of these islands and thoughtlessly plundering them.

Act 55, which created the Public Land Development Corp., appears to lean in the direction of plundering them. It is inexcusable.

Ed Sullam
Waialae

UH needs to be accountable

It is astounding that University of Hawaii-Manoa Chancellor Tom Apple suggests Hawaii citizens simply aren’t providing the university enough funding to support a competitive athletic department ("UH chancellor defends athletic program’s red ink," Star-Advertiser, Aug. 14).

Apple levels this charge only days after former Athletic Director Jim Donovan returned to an unspecified position at UH with a salary of more than $200,000 annually, following the Stevie Wonder concert debacle in which $200,000 is still unaccounted for.

UH is now searching for a new athletic director, which will require yet another large salary. It is time for the citizens to demand accountability and a cogent explanation from the University of Hawaii.

Jeremiah Hull
Wahiawa

Fans turn sour on UH sports

Mahalo for the editorial, "Bad judgment reigns at UH" (Star-Advertiser, Our View, Aug. 15).

For years, my family and friends have donated to University of Hawaii athletics. UH sports are the mainstay and fiber of our weekend enjoyment. UH sports are family.

However, we will have second thoughts for future contributions when that envelope arrives in the mail requesting funds to support the athletics department.

Perhaps the missing $200,000 should come from those who made the decision for the debacle concertinstead of rewarding anindividual with a salary more than that.

Joyce Cassen
Hawaii Kai

Let more people live in homes

Will affordable housing materialize in Hawaii?

Part of the solution may be in broadening what a single-family home means. So many of us have parents, adult children and their families or siblings and their families living together in a "single-family home." This certainly makes housing more affordable.

Do what it takes so that multiple related families can live together in extended-family homes. Living in extended-family groups is culturally acceptable among many here, including our root Hawaiian culture.

Kenneth W. Ordenstein
Kaneohe

Christie should be granted bail

On Aug. 7, Roger Christie was denied bail for the sixth time.

He has been held without bail for more than two years under charges of distributing marijuana.Not murder — marijuana distribution.

The Green Party of Hawaii does not know whether Christie is guilty. However, as we feel personal marijuana use should be decriminalized, a person accused of non-violent charges relating to marijuana should be granted bail.

The mantra that the arrest of Roger Christie has put a large dent in the distribution of marijuana on the Big Island is just not true. Marijuana continues to be grown and consumed by thousands of residents of East Hawaii for personal use, regardless of the Roger Christie case.

Christie should be granted bail, as other prisoners accused of more vile crimes are routinely granted.

Mark Van Doren
State co-chairman, Green Party of Hawaii

Views & Voices has great ideas

I hope people in the government read the Star-Advertiser’s Views & Voices section. So many people send in great ideas to help our state. Thank you, Fred Hemmings, for congratulating the traffic engineers who created four lanes from three on the freeway near Makiki.

Patrick E. Carvalho
Honolulu