Letters to the Editor
Thursday, May 23, 1996

Alana's bone marrow drive unites community spirit

Tears of joy filled my eyes Sunday morning when I saw the number of people who had come to help in the fight to save little Alana Dung.

It was simply amazing to see people from all walks of life at the Neal Blaisdell Center for the same cause. My heart went out to everyone there.

I especially found it heartwarming to see all the men and women from the Honolulu Police Department supporting a fellow officer, Alana's father. Even Chief Nakamura was there to offer a hand of thanks to all who came to donate both their time and blood.

I wish that we could all come together like this for all causes. It really shows that Hawaii has not lost its aloha spirit.

Peggy Wray


Editorial misses mark on independence of Tahiti

Your May 14 editorial analysis of the French Polynesian elections breaks new ground for ambiguity and convolution.You somehow manage to infer from the re-election of conservative forces there that 1) the public supported the terror of nuclear testing on Tahitian soil, and 2) because of the dependence of the Tahitian economy upon French transfer payments, they favor continued colonial domination over internal sovereignty.

Using this logic, one would be forced to believe that the addict not only desires continued dependence on drugs, but that the legitimacy of the relationship is directly proportional to the quantity of the dependency.

You state that "an independent Tahiti without French subsidies would run the risk of economic collapse." But I suspect an even greater fear of President Jacques Chirac and his Polynesian puppet Gaston Flosse is the risk of Tahiti's economic independence, and the collapse of its French military plantation system.

Rai Weigel
Member, Hawaii Coalition
Against Nuclear Testing


Optometrists say aye to eye medications law

The Hawaii Optometric Association applauds the Star-Bulletin's May 17 editorial, "State should expand optometrists' authority."

The impetus to allow Hawaii optometrists to prescribe eye medications is based on a 20-year nationwide history of this practice.

Throughout this time optometrists have shown that they can safely and effectively render this care to the public. If enacted, Hawaii will become the 48th state (not the 47th, as stated in the editorial) to grant this privilege.

As first-contact doctors, optometrists provide two-thirds of all primary eye care in the nation. In today's era of health-care reform, care is shifting away from the specialist like the ophthalmologist and being placed in the hands of the primary-care provider like the optometrist.

Passing an optometric therapeutics law will bring frequently needed eye care services closer to the public in a very cost-effective fashion.

Kevin K. Lui
President
Hawaii Optometric Association


How many mouthpieces does the governor need?

Last week's letters to the editor pages included correspondence from three different aides to Governor Cayetano. Each took issue with a position taken in a Star-Bulletin editorial or by another letter writer.

On Tuesday it was the "Press Secretary, Office of the Governor," and on Thursday the "Director of Communications, Office of the Governor."

Friday's offering came from an "Executive Assistant to the Governor."

The governor is capable of speaking for himself. His comments are covered by the press. There is no need for taxpayers to fund a team of letter writers, made up of people who apparently don't have enough real work to do.

With the state tight on funds, the governor's office looks like a good place to cut back.

Richard Clifton


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