Kokua Line
Kokua Line
Question: Is the Hawaii Hurricane Relief Fund going to be disbanded? I just got a renewal notice for my homeowner's policy and I'm being charged a premium of $91 for hurricane insurance. Why do I have to pay for something that is going to lapse? Can you give me some information? Hurricane fund is
still in businessAnswer: There was a move at the state Legislature this year to phase out the fund, but it failed to get anywhere this session.
"It's business as usual," Amori Ogata, the fund's executive director, said earlier this week. "The only thing that might cause some concern to some people," he said, is the fact that some companies, such as State Farm and RLI, "have opted out of the fund."
That has created confusion. His office has received calls from some homeowners asking why the state was no longer offering hurricane coverage, after receiving letters from insurers who have pulled out and are offering their own coverage, Ogata said.
With fewer insurers in the pool, "It decreases the (fund) size a little, but we still have a substantial number of policy holders; we still have a number of insurance companies still writing hurricane insurance through the fund," Ogata said.
The HHRF was established by the Legislature in 1993, after most insurers stopped writing new hurricane insurance policies in the wake of Hurricane Iniki in 1992.
Q: I am a mislocated kamaaina currently in San Diego and desperately want to return to Hawaii. I have seen several articles in the Star-Bulletin about a significant expansion at the Barking Sands Missile Range on Kauai. I am interested in pursuing a position there, but do not know who to contact. Can you help? Who are the civilian contractors providing computer and other technical support for the missile range? How do I apply for a government position at the missile range?
A: The civilian contractor is ITT Industries, Systems Division, P.O. Box 399, Kekaha, HI 96752.
The only time contractors will accept an application is when they post for an opening, said Vida Mossman, spokeswoman for the Pacific Missile System Range at Barking Sands, Kauai. Interested applicants can call Tammy Paiste at (808) 335-4510 or Lisa at (808) 335-4204, she said.
As for a federal position at Barking Sands, applicants would have to apply for specific job openings, Mossman said. The Human Resource Service Center, Pacific Region, handles all vacancy announcements for most of the federal positions in the Pacific area, she said. For some vacancies, applicants already need to be a federal employee or on the Office of Personnel Management Register, she said. Call (808) 541-2791, a jobs information recording, to find out how to get on the OPM Register.
To find out about possible vacancies at Barking Sands, call the Human Resource Service Center at (808) 474-4453, or check the Internet Web site www.dasnhroc.navy.mil.
MAHALO
To Ihilani Resort and its housekeeping and security staff. My children brought their homework when we stayed there the weekend of April 9. After we left, my 8-year-old discovered he left one assignment behind and was distraught. I called the resort and got Greg in security. He listened to my description and said he would call back. Five minutes later, he called to say he had found it and faxed it to us. -- Grateful 8-year-old and his family
Need help with problems? Call Kokua Line at 525-8686,
fax 525-6711, or write to P.O. Box 3080, Honolulu 96802.
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