Water board leaves bad roads in wake

Ward Avenue has been under construction by the Board of Water Supply for the past several months.

Just prior to the repair, Ward Avenue was resurfaced and it was a completely smooth ride.Now that they have finished parts of the construction, Ward Avenue is again relegated to an undulating roller-coaster of a ride, with major dips in front of the Honolulu Club building.

Every time the BWS does repair work, it leaves the roads in worse condition.All roads should be resurfaced and left in the same condition as they were, if not better.

Someone should look into this. There is no excuse for the water board’s shoddy work for the amount of money we are paying it for its services.

Jon Shimamoto
Mililani

Bus riders still wait for return of No. 55

I have accessed the mayor’s promised new May 26 bus schedule for No. 55 and No. 52 and can see no changes.

Living in Kahuku — and wishing to go to the large shopping center in Mililani, which has a Walmart, a multiscreen movie theater, many restaurants, a large library, many businesses, my dentist, my eye doctor and my daughter’s residence—I get on the bus in Kahuku. Then, 10 minutes later, I must get off the bus in Haleiwa and wait an hour for another bus (No. 52) to complete my journey.

Wereally believedthe mayor was going to restore the Circle Island No. 55 and Circle Island No. 52.It would have been a real plus, not only for those trying to get to work on time but also for the tourists.

Jackie Weyhenmeyer
Kahuku

City bus drivers do fantastic job

Our city bus drivers seem to be the most underappreciated but most deserving of praise of all our city workers.

Through wind, rain, tsunamis and other emergencies, the buses keep rolling.

Thank God for the hard-working men and women who do this.

They have to put up with us passengers asking all kinds of questions, fumbling for our passes or money; all the terrible drivers that cut right in front of them; and, finally, all the construction.

I would never have that much patience.

God bless them. We passengers would be lost without them, especially us seniors and handicapped riders.

Judy Orlando
Downtown

Recent scandals are dismaying

President Barack Obama began withusing executive privilege to stopthe "Operation Fast and Furious" investigation.

We have "I don’t know" for the latest Internal Revenue Service travesty.

The U.S. attorney general recuses himself from The Associated Press scandal.

The Obama administration covers up the truth about thedeath of our ambassador in Benghazi.

Is itany wonder people mistrust our president and government?

This is Third World politics, wherepeople speak untruths, make false accusations and disrespectfulinnuendos, and get re-elected.

What has happened to our country? The press turns awayfrom the truth and stretches the ambiguity of the people theywant in office,regardless of truth or reality.

The lack of management skills and ability of our current president cannot be overlooked and covered up any more. We had better wake upbefore it’s too late.

Larry R. Wilson
Aiea

Benghazi incident portent of future?

The U.S. government is dysfunctional, in view of the Ben-ghazi incident, in which the secretary of defense said that there was nothing military forces in the area could do to support the State Department officials whose lives were in danger.

In the past, the military organizations I was assigned to never said we could not do anything, whatever the situation was, including the evacuation of non-combatant American civilians from hostile attacks. We gave the best estimate of what could be done based on the threat, the availability of U.S. forces and the time it would take toget there.

Emergency funds were never a problem because funds were always available for a 60-day operation anywhere the commander in chief needed it.Cutback of such funds would undoubtedly prevent such operations.

Perhaps the Benghazi incident is an example of things to come in the way our country is heading in defending our government personnel, military forces, American dependents and civilians, businesses, travelers and our national interests worldwide.

Russel Noguchi
Pearl City

UH needs to focus on core mission

What is the University of Hawaii administration?

It is a titanic, multi-stationed bureaucracy with characteristics of a welfare state.

What is the University of Hawaii administration not?

It is not a sharply operated business entity. The administration would be insolvent but for the fact that it is subsidized.

Downsizing and a focus on the core mission are the two keys to success for an organization in such straits.

The relevant skill set is the key to choosing an effective future leader.

Understanding the landscape is the first imperative skill. Only someone who has lived in Hawaii for a number of years is going to meet this requirement.

Business talent is the second necessary skill. At a core level, the university is a business.

Courage is the third requisite skill. This will be a difficult skill to measure. It will be a more difficult skill to fulfill. True grit is uncommon.

David Ashley Mihaila
Liliuokalani Gardens