Campaign for Korean aid
deserves public support

On July 29, you published a front-page story about efforts to raise money for humanitarian aid to North Korea. I am concerned that my remarks, as reported in that story on the moral dilemma involved, might lead some to the erroneous conclusion that I oppose the local fund-raising campaign jointly sponsored by the Center for Korean Studies and the Hawaii chapter of the American Red Cross.

In fact, I approved the center's association with the campaign from its inception and it continues to have my full support.

Chung H. Lee
Director, Center of Korean Studies
University of Hawaii-Manoa

Cayetano shouldn't brag
about helping business

I attended the governor's town meeting in Mililani, where he told of his economic development accomplishments. They included attracting four companies and 450 high-paying jobs to Hawaii. Yet there was no mention of the 4,000-plus companies that went bankrupt, closed, were bought out or relocated to the mainland -- and the resultant 1.58 percent decline in jobs.

His construction package of $2.5 billion is really to allow construction workers to retrain for jobs in other industries. Maybe Cayetano wants them to be sales clerks for the high-end retailers he is so proud of attracting to the islands.

More than two-thirds of the jobs in this state are with companies of 10 or fewer employees, and only 250 have sales of more than $19.4 million per year. Yet these majority companies are ignored by government.

I always thought that the GOP was the party that supported big business and the Democrats supported the working man, farmers and small-business owners. Yet, this administration has cut social programs, ignored small business and spent most of its time flying around the world trying to attract big business to Hawaii.

As a lifelong Democrat, I am confused. How about you?

Larry Nelson
Mililani
(Via the Internet)

How appalling that League
is opposed to a Con Con

With all due respect to Jean Aoki, president of the League of Women Voters of Hawaii, the postponement of a constitutional convention is not a responsible democratic position to take. The people of Hawaii voted on Nov. 5, 1996, to conduct a Con Con: 163,869 "yes" to 160,153 "no."

Hawaii has matured over the past 20 years after the 1978 Con Con, and we must from time to time provide the opportunity for the people to have a voice in our government. A constitutional convention would provide this opportunity by allowing the election of candidates (preferably no present elected officials).

We know that Governor Cayetano and Gary Rodrigues of the UPW are opposed to the process of providing the people of Hawaii a voice in our government. But when a respected organization like the League of Women Voters of Hawaii opposes voting rights for the people of Hawaii, it is a cause of grave concern.

We believe in democracy and the right to vote; it's puzzling as to why the league does not.

James I. Kuroiwa Jr.
Chairman
Honolulu County Republican Party

Trustees took advantage
in lease-to-fee deals

As part of the investigation of the Bishop Estate trustees, the fact-finder should look into whether they gouged the people of Hawaii in their lease-to-fee sales.

Were the lessees compelled to buy the fee interest because they were shackled to their property? Was this similar to the gouging that took place on Kauai after Hurricane Iniki, where the market price for a case of Coke was $20?

Is the local recession being prolonged because the purchasers of fee can no longer afford discretionary spending since they had to use their entire life's savings and/or took out second mortgages?

The fact-finder should hire mainland appraisers and/or consultants to look into this, since local professionals may be afraid of the powerful trustees retaliating against their businesses.

In my opinion, the mainland appraisers would probably conclude that the trustees did an unconscionable act against the people of Hawaii.

George Kaneshiro

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Bishop Estate Archive

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Same-sex archive

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