Jewish people face another holocaust

It is a crying shame that the survivors of the holocaust now have to relive the haunted past by watching their own grandchildren being massacred by the Palestinian terrorists.

It is a fact that other Arab countries, such as Iran, are supplying weapons to aid Yasser Arafat's terrorist regime. It is a fact that nations such as Iraq have provided terrorist-training camps to conduct the slaughter of innocent Israeli women and children, as two former Iraqi intelligence officers have reported. Have we forgotten the lessons of the bombing of Pan Am Flight 103 over Lockerbie, Scotland, in December 1988? Yes, Libya, too, was found guilty in the Lockerbie plane crash; the World Court indicted and convicted a Libyan terrorist.

It is a fact that animosity-filled Syria walked out of negotiations recently because it felt that restraints against Israel were too lax.

It's a crying shame that we have to watch the another Jewish holocaust, right before our very own eyes.

G. Wong

Replacing Yoshida shouldn't be that hard

Once again government and academia's preoccupation with committees has manifested itself with the recent formation of the Committee of 16 to choose the new University of Hawaii athletic director. Can any sane person explain why a committee of this size and member composition is necessary to search for, nominate and ultimately coronate the successor to Hugh Yoshida?

Will they each be given plaques of participation or letters of commendation when this absurdity is played out for the media? Here is yet another unbelievable chapter in the Book of Idiocy!

Joe Harding

Private donors make school repairs possible

In response to the letter to the editor "Why no private donors for school repairs?" (Star-Bulletin, March 30), we are excited to say that there is an increased willingness of private donors to help with the repair and maintenance of our schools through a new program called Hawaii 3R's.

Hawaii 3R's, a program initiated by U.S. Sen. Daniel K. Inouye, is a public-private partnership that encourages the private sector to donate not only in dollars, but more importantly in sweat and expertise. Its mission is to tackle the estimated $640 million backlog of school repair and maintenance, as well as foster community participation at public schools.

The Hawaii Community Foundation and Campbell Estate already have stepped forward with generous monetary donations. I would also like to thank Bryco Painting, M. Shiroma Painting Co., Painting and Decorating Contractors Association of Hawaii and A&E Equipment Rentals for donating their services to this program.

Thanks to the support of these private donors, we will be able to do more than $800,000 in repairs and maintenance for about $250,000 at 13 schools.

During the past year, I have discovered that people are more than willing to volunteer and donate services in order to create better learning environments for our children. They just need to be asked.

Together we can Repair, Remodel and Restore Hawaii's schools.

Ann-Maile Yamasaki
Executive Director
Hawaii 3R's

Renaming H-3 tunnels is disrespectful

Back on March 19, 1994, our state Legislature passed a resolution to name the H-3 tunnels in honor of state freeway administrator Tetsuo Harano. Now the governor has authorized renaming the tunnels for former Gov. John Burns (Kokua Line, April 2).

I spoke to Tetsuo Harano's wife last week. To say she sounded sad is a gross understatement. How could our governor take an honor away from an 82-year-old man who gave 52 years of his life to our state and bestow that honor to another man, worthy though that other man might be. Fortunately, that man, John Burns, already has Aloha Stadium and the University of Hawaii Medical School honoring him.

Harano, in his retirement years, has been driving through "his" tunnels all these years, enjoying telling his grandchildren his story.

I wrote to Governor Cayetano asking him to please reconsider this seemingly cruel and unnecessary act. Who will join me?

Yoshie Tanabe
Waipahu

Let businesses be, for sake of economy

Hawaii's economic rebirth is at hand. It's free to the taxpayers, and there's no risk to our lawmakers.

Victoria Ward Ltd. has the vision, courage and cash to develop a major new shopping center. Let them build it.

Outrigger Hotels has the vision, courage and cash to develop a major hotel complex to replace a 50-year-old, tired piece of Waikiki. Let them build it.

Ko Olina Co. wants to build a $100 million project. Let them build it.

Our construction industry gets jobs. Our labor force gets jobs and pays taxes, and the consumers who buy products pays taxes. That's $600 million into the state's economy.

These companies would like some future tax credits. They still have to build the buildings, market their new ventures and create opportunities for Hawaii's people. There is no cost or risk to the taxpayer, or to the legislator who has the courage to get out of the way to let businessmen do business.

The tax credits requested only happen if these companies invest, develop, market and employ Hawaii's labor force. This lust for future tax revenue lost is short-sighted.

This is a win-win situation. It doesn't get any better. All we have to do is get out of the way and let it happen, and all Hawaii wins.

Rick Gray

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