Solutions hard to find for DHHL problems

I have learned that the challenges that the state Department of Hawaiian Home Lands deals with in order to provide for its beneficiaries, as reported by Rob Perez ("Broken Homes," Star-Advertiser, Oct. 13), are often met with failure.

Or are they?

I was aware of the beneficiaries waiting a long time for land, but I was not aware of the department having the responsibility of maintaining and repairing a property once the beneficiary occupies the home.

Additionally, there appear to be other entities (the Council for Native Hawaiian Advancement and Hawaiian Community Assets) that seem to work with the department and blame the department when things go wrong for Hawaiian Home Lands homeowners.

While it would be easy to find fault with the department for uninhabitable properties and long waiting periods, I think that the solutions the department must create are difficult to develop.

Marjorie Kauha Tupper
Kuakini

We’re not so different from people in Iran

We need to support Secretary of State John Kerry’s negotiations and drop the notion that Iran is an evil entity and our sworn enemy.

They are more like us than you may imagine. It is high time to remove "axis of evil" from our political vocabulary.

I’ve followed developments with Iran since the 1960s when the Shah was in power and his secret police, SAVAK, struck fear into the hearts of Persians everywhere.

Those police of our ally, the Shah, even reached Persian classmates and roommates I had at a small college I attended in Southern California in 1969-71.

There is nothing inherently different between Americans and Persians. You may be sure that many there were not, and are not, fans of the Islamic revolution.

By working to calm our relations with Iran, we take a huge step toward Middle East peace.

Tim Rubald
Wailuku, Maui

Thanks to all who revived symphony

Permit me to pass on my thanks to those who revived our symphony.

It’s such a treat to again see our loyal musicians delivering beautiful sounds to a welcoming audience.

The concerts thus far have introduced us to an international sampling of marvelous conductors and incredibly talented young soloists.

Our grateful applause for the musicians, board members, patrons and sponsors may not be heard by them. Perhaps they might see this note.

Thank you to all involved. Your gifts are appreciated by an enriched community.

Becky Hommon
Iroquois Point

The fix was in for Koa Ridge approval

I was at Wednesday’s City Council meeting on rezoning land for Koa Ridge and it was clear from the outset that the powerful combine of Castle & Cooke, local development interests and the construction unions were in complete control.

When speakers opposing the rezoning spoke, the Council members averted their eyes, looked down at their desks and nervously shuffled papers. These opposition speakers made well-researched arguments about the traffic nightmare Koa Ridge would cause, the failure of Castle & Cooke to make good on its word in past developments, the eventual cost to the public of providing funding for new infrastructure, and the prospect of urban sprawl across the island.

The Council members asked no questions, then voted unanimously to rezone.The fix was in.

I came away thinking we had the best City Council money can buy.

Noel Kent
Kaimuki

GET surcharge meant for rail, not the state

After reading the Star-Advertiser editorial about the state taking 10 percent of the general excise tax surcharge collection, I was appalled ("State owes city millions from rail surcharge," Star-Advertiser, Our View, Nov. 2).

The state has more sources of funding than the counties. If the state is hurting financially, the counties are hurting worse. However, judging from decisions by the governor and the Legislature to expand the state budget and restore programs that were cut during the recession, the state must be getting along just fine.

The Tax Department should stop skimming so much money from the GET surcharge collection and give it to the county and the rail project, where it was supposed to go in the first place.

Rachel Yamaguchi
Kaimuki

FROM THE FORUM

“Power crews are kept busy as Oahu starts mopping up,” Star-Advertiser, Nov. 11:

>> If a little rain can take out Hawaiian Electric’s weak power grid, laying waste to poles around the island, imagine what a real storm could do. 

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“HPD wants extra funds to go to recruits,” Star-Advertiser, Nov. 11:

>> If there is “unspent money,” the Honolulu Police Department does not have to find a way to spend it. Save it for emergencies or give it back to the taxpayers.

>> If there’s $4.2 million in “extra” funds, then the public is being fleeced. This should not be rewarded by simply spreading it around.

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“24 violate DHHL rules, review finds,” Star-Advertiser, Nov. 12:

>> It’s time for both the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands and Office of Hawaiian Affairs to be dissolved. Award all the leases to those deemed eligible and  then get out of the way. Let those new lessees control their properties and build their communities as they see fit. Mistakes will be made, but that’s what life is all about. We don’t need the government to serve as our surrogate parents.

>> The problem with the DHHL is that as a government bureaucracy, it knows that if it actually fulfills its stated purpose of distributing land to qualified Hawaiians, then it will have no reason to exist. Its workers will lose their do-nothing jobs and cushy benefits and might have to enter the private sector with no useful skills. As a result, they make qualified individuals wait for decades and then lease land instead of distributing it. C’mon, DHHL, do your job, then close the doors and turn out the lights.

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“Honolulu Marathon to add more cameras for race day,” Star-Advertiser, Nov. 12:

>> If this is approved, that will set a precedent. Next will come cameras at the Great Aloha Run, UH football games, outdoor concerts, etc.?

>> Hopefully, these additional cameras will be left in place for a year so that the city officials can get a real picture of the homeless problem downtown and in Waikiki. I’m sure the NSA would be willing to assist them in counting heads on discs that are recorded.

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“Homeless problem ‘not worsening,’” Star-Advertiser, Nov. 12:

>> This is absolute nonsense — just look at King Street and Waikiki. 

>> Take a walk from Iolani Palace to Thomas Square; there are so many homeless on the sidewalks and sleeping on the grass. This “study” probably cost us thousands of dollars, yet just a 20-minute walk says otherwise.

>> Given the loosey-goosey methodologies used to count homeless, the variance of 2 percent plus/minus for any measurement is just “statistical noise” and not indicative of any trend. Bottom line: All the money spent in the public and nonprofit sectors has not made a significant dent in the homeless population. In policy terms, that is called “failure and ineffective.”

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“Opponents feel wronged by Capitol,” Star-Advertiser, Nov. 13:

>> Such imaginary fears. Don’t worry, civilization won’t collapse because two gays marry.

>> Redefine immoral and, voila, there you have the solution. If it feels good, just do it.

>> The best line in this article: “It’s a kick in the face.” Indeed it is. One can only hope those whose hopes have been battered by the tyrannical arrogance of our state government will keep fresh the memory of that kick in the face when they vote next year.

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“Bankrupt Naniloa Volcanoes Hotel being sold to developer-artist duo,” Star-Advertiser, Nov. 13:

>> This will be great undertaking. It may cost as much as $10 million to make it a really nice place. At the same time, they need to clean up the surrounding area to make this a pleasant destination.

>> I remember when the Naniloa was the pride of Hilo. On a clear winter day the sight from the Naniloa of a snowcapped Mauna Kea was breathtaking. I hope this can happen again.

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“Teens cutting back on sugary drinks, health officials say,” Star-Advertiser, Nov. 14:

>> Really ? All I see these kids drink is soda and energy drinks.

>> I see a lot of middle and high school kids at different establishments carrying medium to large soda cups and drinking. I’m pretty sure they do this daily since they can’t get their “sugar fix” at school.

>> Unsweetened fruit drinks can have as many, if not significantly more, calories as so-called “sugary” drinks. An 8 oz. serving of most soda contains 98 calories, while the same 8 oz. of grape juice weighs in at 154 calories.