Landing on Mars brings home
startling revelation

As I watched the landing of the Mars Pathfinder this weekend, I was astonished to see most of the brilliant scientists who made this adventure possible were very young.

I expected to see old, white, balding men in wire-rimmed glasses and white lab coats. Instead the scientists were brilliant twentysomethings in shorts and T-shirts who used language we could all understand. They talked with an excitement we could all relate to.

That these young scientists were so successful showed that, despite the popular mythology, Generation X has much to offer. Isn't it a shame this is the very segment of Hawaii's population that is leaving in droves?

I am also young -- only 25 -- but I am old enough to know that I cannot stay in Hawaii for long. I could never afford to raise my children here, although I desperately want to.

There are no jobs for us here, let alone good-paying ones. I live in Hawaii because of its beauty, but I work so hard just to make ends meet that I may as well be living in Kansas.

Unless there is change is Hawaii's economy very soon, more young people will be leaving. Just think of what a loss that will be.

Soon it may be cheaper to live on Mars than in Hawaii.

Shana L. Davidson

Why are we wasting money
on restoring Natatorium?

Just what the city needs in these cash-strapped times, an $11 million salt-water pool at the beach. The mayor and the developers are all wet on this one.

Who's going to benefit from this besides a few insiders? Certainly not any of the countless residents who use Kaimana Beach all the time.

I can just see the tour buses pulling up now for some imagined aquatic show. These people won't be happy until they've ruined every last bit of our Hawaii nei. More traffic, more buses, less parking.

And where is the effluent from the pool going to go? Why right into Kaimana Beach, that's where. Apart from the developers and their sweetheart deals, how many jobs is this going to create? About 10, 20?

I'm all for the restoration of the War Memorial Arch. It's an important monument and deserves proper upkeep. But leave it at that.

We've existed quite nicely without a salt-water pool for more than 20 years, thank you very much. Get rid of that germ-ridden pool, open up the beach and restore the arch. We save a ton of money, increase the coastline and Kaimana Beach remains the lovely gem it's always been.

Les Robin
(Via the Internet)

Battling over right
to direct Greenpeace

A recent AP article concerning the filing of a lawsuit has left a false impression. The suit questions who constitutes the legal board of directors for Greenpeace Foundation Hawaii.

The plaintiffs have claimed that the board changes made more than nine years ago are not valid. They seek to assume control of the organization.

Greenpeace Foundation Hawaii has maintained a high-profile stance on important issues in the past nine years, such as endangered species preservation and working to prevent habitat destruction.

Over those years, Greenpeace has participated in county, state and federal environmental lawsuits. They have been co-litigants with the Sierra Club and Greenpeace USA, as well as smaller environmental organizations.

They have initiated public education programs and Junior Greenpeace clubs in numerous schools, which have received a number of awards from the governor's office. This group has maintained an office in Hilo since 1988.

One has to question what these others have been doing the past nine years. The persons filing this lawsuit have done nothing at all during that time, yet now they claim to be the legitimate heirs to the Greenpeace name.

Bruce Cate
Member, Board of Directors
Greenpeace Foundation Hawaii

Unions again blocking
attempt to privatize

"Unions say state trying to privatize Maui Medical Center (Star-Bulletin, June 24)." That is exactly what the Department of Health is required to do under Act 263, "A Bill Relating to Hana Medical Center," enacted by the 1996 Legislature and signed into law on June 19, 1996.

The act expressly stated that the DOH and a nonprofit community-based organization in Hana work toward "the transition of the Hana Medical Center from a state-operated facility into a nonprofit community health center designed to meet the specific needs of the area (emphasis added)."

This act is no surprise to both the Hawaii Government Employees Association and United Public Workers. Extensive discussions took place within the Hana community. Over the past two years, details of the transition from state-operated to nonprofit-operated status have been worked out, with much consultation with both unions.

Why did HGEA and UPW wait until now to file their lawsuit, knowing the community has been gearing up to take over Hana Medical Center, and has already made major resource and personnel commitments? Is it merely to disrupt these desired activities?

Dr. Lawrence Miike
Director
Hawaii Department of Health

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Same-sex archive

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