Editorials
Thursday, January 1, 1998HAWAII floated into the new year on a cloud of euphoria inspired by the University of Hawaii men's basketball team's historic victory over Kansas. Congratulations to coach Riley Wallace, his staff and of course the players. It was a welcome change from the smoke from millions of firecrackers on New Year's Eve, although there was that, too. UH Rainbows victory
brightens the new yearThe victory ended the year for Hawaii on a positive note, one that we hope will carry over into other areas in 1998. Certainly the economy could use a boost after experiencing another year of near-stagnation. But the turmoil in East Asia threatens to hurt the visitor industry, which remains the main prop of the state's economy.
The impending opening of the state convention center could offset that problem to some degree. Construction has proceeded on schedule and with few problems. The result is a handsome structure with a Hawaiian ambience that should attract a lot of conventions.
Completed, but decades behind schedule and hundreds of millions of dollars over initial estimates, was the H-3 trans-Koolau freeway. Despite bitter opposition from environmentalists and Hawaiian activists, the freeway drew thousands of motorists at its opening and seems likely to prove its value as a more direct link between Windward and Leeward Oahu.
The recommendations of the governor's Economic Revitalization Task Force should provide the centerpiece for the Legislature opening later this month. Governor Cayetano sees the proposals as a much-needed means of stimulating the economy through tax breaks for residents and businesses and higher taxes for tourists. How much of the package will survive is a matter of conjecture at this point. The governor obviously hopes to use it to promote his re-election.
It wasn't difficult to figure out what was the big news story in Hawaii in 1997. The wrangling over the Kamehameha Schools/Bishop Estate may have been the story not only of the year but the decade, and it isn't over yet. Count on a lot more developments in 1998. The Bishop Estate controversy eclipsed Hawaiian sovereignty as an issue in the public eye. It isn't clear how the deeply divided sovereignty movement can regain momentum.
Nationally 1997 was a year of prosperity in which the goal of a balanced federal budget suddenly seemed readily attainable. President Clinton was beset with disclosures of campaign spending violations but congressional investigations were inconclusive.
The nation was at peace, but Saddam Hussein's defiance of United Nations weapons inspections posed a threat of renewed violence that carried over into the new year. The president's announcement that the peacekeeping mission in Bosnia would be extended indefinitely canceled the scheduled termination of the mission in July and ensured a continued U.S. presence in that still-divided and troubled country.
People all over the world were united for a moment in grief over the death of Princess Diana. Her radiant spirit and generous nature transcended the trappings of privilege that surrounded her. The death of the saintly Mother Teresa was also a great loss. The fashion world was stunned by the murder of designer Gianni Versace.
The world tried to cope with the problem of global warming and the Clinton administration committed the U.S. at a conference in Kyoto to mandatory reductions of greenhouse gases. But it wasn't clear that warming is really taking place and if it is that man's activity is the cause. Anyway, the treaty has little chance of winning ratification in the Senate -- if the White House ever submits it.
OVERTIME pay has reached unacceptable proportions for police officers serving at Honolulu Airport. An audit by the state Department of Transportation found that the police sergeants were earning an average $91,565 a year, a lieutenant averaged $90,872 and three patrol officers averaged $63,830 because of overtime. The audit said overtime charges accounted for 51 percent of regular wages. One officer earned so much overtime that his pay for the year was just $200 less than the governor's. Airport security costs
The report provides ammunition for the proposal to turn airport security over to the state Department of Public Safety. It said the change would reduce overtime, fringe benefits, overhead costs and gasoline allowances by about $412,207 a year.
Acting Police Chief Lee Donohue said the overtime was caused by a change made by the state reducing from 32 to 25 the number of officers assigned to the airport detail. He explained that two sergeants' positions were cut and the three remaining sergeants and the lieutenant had to be paid overtime.
The contract called for each of three daily shifts at the airport to be staffed by a sergeant, but it provided for only three sergeants. Whenever a sergeant was on leave, overtime was paid to cover the shift.
The audit recommends increasing the number of sergeant positions from three to five and requiring that overtime be justified in writing to airport management for approval. However, if these and other recommendations fail to bring costs down, the report said replacement of the police with state sheriffs, who are paid less, could be an alternative.
In terms of law enforcement, the current arrangement seems preferable to turning over the airport to state security personnel. Although it is a state facility, the airport's security needs seem to mesh with those of the rest of the city. Putting state officers in charge could result in problems of coordination. However, the excessive overtime under the current contract must be addressed and more effort made to reduce other costs if the Honolulu Police Department is to continue serving the airport.
Rupert E. Phillips, CEO
John M. Flanagan, Editor & Publisher
David Shapiro, Managing Editor
Diane Yukihiro Chang, Senior Editor & Editorial Page Editor
Frank Bridgewater & Michael Rovner, Assistant Managing Editors
A.A. Smyser, Contributing Editor
