Chinatown needs public toilets

Mayor Kirk Caldwell should give up on the "compassionate harassment" tactics and just use some money from the $32 million to build a male and female restroom in that small park next to the Hawaii Theatre, where the homeless are already relieving themselves.

That way, it couldremain a park on the perimeterbut an open public restroom replacing the fountain or pond that’s in the middle.

We definitely need a centralized facility in Chinatown.So, build it and they will come. Hire two people to keep it clean.

Problem solved.

Cassandra Aoki
Kaneohe

Public can use charity’s toilets

A recent letter to the editor regarding bathrooms for the homeless, mentioned River of Life Mission (ROLM) in Chinatown.I would like to clarify the nature of the services provided by ROLM.

The mission has three bathrooms used by the homeless. One is available 7 a.m.-8 p.m.Others have showers: women (morning), men (afternoon).

We are open Monday through Friday, serving 14,000 meals monthly. Towels and hygienic products are provided to those using showers. Shoes, clothing and household goods are available for men, women and children.

The mission does not sell donated items. Nor do we charge for our services.

ROLM is a 501(c)3 nonprofit, audited annually. This Christian agency serves people of various religious beliefs and cultures. Clients are not required to attend religious functions in order to receive services.The mission does not receive state or federal funding.

Merrie-Susan Marchant
General manager, River of Life Mission

Admit mistakes and move on

We should learn from past mistakes regardless of "who is at fault for debacle in Iraq," as so clearly put forward by "RedBlue America" columnists Ben Boychuk and Joel Mathis (Star-Advertiser, Insight, June 22).

Any kind of right-left sparring, and all the political quarterbacking that both parties have been guilty of, does not improve world situations, or our view of "them."

Admit our mistakes, and look for different strategies. It doesn’t only apply to our mistakes in diplomacy, but also to public education, homelessness, global warming and many other things.

When both parties and their leaders are able to admit their mistakes, maybe then we can make solid progress.

Peter Coleman Jr.
Makiki

Center in marsh is not despoiling

Neil Frazer has overstepped ("Don’t use marsh for Hawaiian center," Letters, Star-Advertiser, June 17).

He implies that he knows what is best for us. He implies that we are not able to choose and act wisely for ourselves. He asks that the state buy us an office building in downtown Kailua where, presumably, we can teach our grandchildren to be good stewards of Kawai-nui. This, he implies, would be preferable to our despoiling Kawainui with actual, onsite, place-based centers of Hawaiian education.

We have never been the despoilers of Kawainui or "tools of the tour industry." His words are kohu ‘ole — way off-base.

Here is what we have been taught by our kupuna: Speak if you belong to the place, listen if you don’t. Frazer has contravened the protocols of speaker and listener, host and guest. Unfortunately, he is not alone.

Kihei de Silva
Kailua

Read the plan and be alarmed

Again and again the developers of the Kawainui-Hamakua wetlands tell the community: "Read the plan."

It is precisely because we have read, re-read and understood the consequences of the 153-page plan, that we sound the alarm.

The plan begins innocuously — water restoration and such. Then comes all the rest.

We understand.The plan will divide the wetlands among various interest groups, each focusing only on his/her portion while the wetland as a whole succumbs.

Betsy (Elizabeth) Connors
Kailua