State DOT is highly inefficient
The state Department of Transportation didn't include handicapped access on Kalanianaole Highway but finished construction without correcting the problem. It designed the invisible signs at the H-1 exit off H-3, and the confusing signs and entrances to the Honolulu Airport arrival area.It sends columns of multiple street sweepers down the freeway cleaning the same gutter. Now DOT is installing a traffic light on Pali Highway.
The DOT claims it had already planned to install the light before the recent fatal accident. But this looks suspiciously like "tombstone policy," which ignores outside recommendations until people die and there is bad publicity.
Consultant work is scheduled for October 1999, design for February 2000, bidding for October 2000, bid awards for December 2000 and completion for May 2001. In other words, putting in a traffic light will take almost two years. Ridiculous.
Why do DOT's hundreds of employees need outside consultants for a single traffic light? How can designing one traffic light take six months? How can installing one take six months? Why individual bids on each light?
Our tax dollars at work.
Larry Meacham
Drivers must be taught to respect pedestrians
I am appalled at this latest pedestrian catastrophe when an elderly woman was killed crossing the Pali Highway. Why did it happen? Because we have forgotten the rule that the "pedestrian has the right of way."Hawaii needs to mount a massive educational program to instruct drivers that pedestrians are traffic, too.
Or perhaps we need to enact a law such as I saw in Toronto years ago. When a pedestrian stood at a crosswalk and raised a hand (indicating the desire to cross), all traffic in both directions stopped immediately. And this included crosswalks on streets the size of Ala Moana Boulevard.
I thought it was a wonderful law then and it would be even more wonderful now in Hawaii.
Caroline Dunn
Via the Internet
Quotables
"I don't want these indictments to be an indictment against the department's 1,900 officers and 500 civilian employees. We do so much good work, but something like this just sets us back."
Lee Donohue
Honolulu Police chief
On the indictment of five officers for allegedly beating a man taken into custody"As we see the full horror of what went on in Kosovo, I think we can see how important it is that we took the action we did."
Tony Blair
British prime minister
On reports that more than 10,000 ethnic Albanians were massacred
City, mayor are moving in the right direction
Mayor Harris is doing a great job. That is all that counts. In spite of the bad economy, a smaller budget and a split City Council, the mayor has moved forward.The City Council is also now moving in a positive direction. Good job to those City Council members and especially Mayor Harris.
Gladys Hada
Mirikitani restored faith in officials
Political cowardice highlighted the budget votes by the City Council on June 9. Hooray for Andy Mirikitani, who broke ranks with the Harris-led City Council. He has redeemed my faith in elected officials by keeping an open mind and listening to the public's desires.Now if only one more Council member had been brave enough to join Mufi Hannemann, John Henry Felix, Donna Kim and Mirikitani, we could have defeated this short-sighted and highly political "revenue-neutral" tax hike baloney fostered by Mayor Harris.
Instead, Council members Duke Bainum, Rene Mansho and Jon Yoshimura are now offering the classic task force approach to soothe our economic pain.
Well, this constituent and his extended family will not forget this vote. We needed help now, not in the distant future.
Yau Lee Ching
Irelands sought victims' statement law
The Star-Bulletin's "The Dana Ireland Case" published on June 8, 9 and 10 accurately portrays Dana as the person she was and the trauma of her surviving family.
Two topics should be clarified. They are legislation for which I was responsible and the family's civil suit.
Sen. Andy Levin deserves the lion's share of credit for the victim impact statement rights and enhanced sentencing legislation. I asked Levin to introduce legislation that would give crime victims the right to make an oral or written impact statement prior to sentencing those convicted and to classify rape and murder as first degree.
Rather than reclassify a rape- murder as first-degree, legislation was passed that allows a judge to sentence a murderer tried under the act of life without parole.The enhanced sentencing law is much better than what I requested.
Both laws were signed by the governor five months after my request.
We did not settle our civil suit with the county or state. It was settled by mediation with the company that insured the county emergency services.
The limit of liability was $1 million. My wife, my daughter and I did not want an amount above the limit of liability.
John Ireland
Dana Ireland's father
Springfield, VA.
Dana Ireland Archive
Mortimer, Cayetano have failed badly
Both UH President Mortimer and Governor Cayetano are doing a tremendous disservice to their constituents. Mortimer's wanton and irresponsible neglect of the UH School of Public Health threatens a potentially important aspect of economic recovery for our islands.How many times have politicians pointed to the health-care industry (particularly with regard to the aged) as an area of expected economic growth in Hawaii? Without a viable MPH program, this potential growth engine is threatened.
Why isn't Cayetano making more noise about Mortimer's intransigence? The governor claims that he supports health care as a component of our economic recovery. Will he keep his promise to see it through? Or will he sacrifice the school like he did his attorney general?
John Ellis
Via the Internet
Shark finning should be banned
The majority of the citizens of Hawaii have voiced their support for stronger environmental controls, especially over our waters.The recent state Department of Land and Natural Resources hearing in Kailua-Kona attended by upward of 800 people showed a clear consensus for regulations and enforcement to protect these waters.
Recent concerns about shark finning and related activities fall into this category. Hawaii's most lucrative economic activity is tourism. The visitors who come are extremely concerned about the environment, as I can attest since numerous guests stay at my bed and breakfast.
The publicity over shark finning has already hurt us immensely. Anything that can be done to ban this practice should be done immediately. The few who profit are hurting others, not to mention the immeasurable damage to the environment by this practice.
Our public officials need to listen to the public they represent instead of special interest groups.
Nita Isherwood
Captain Cook, Hawaii
Legislature Directory
Hawaii Revised Statutes
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