Regents with conflicts must recuse themselves

In consultation with the executive director of the state Ethics Commission, we have determined that the state ethics code does not preclude a business in which a member of the University of Hawaii Board of Regents has a substantial financial interest from bidding on UH contracts.

However, regents must recuse themselves from participating in any decision by the university directly affecting their businesses or that of their competitors.

They are required not only to recuse themselves from voting, but also from participating in any preliminary discussions with other board members or members of the UH administration concerning such matters.

Walter S. Kirimitsu
Senior Vice President for Legal Affairs
and University General Counsel
University of Hawaii

Stolen Hawaiian lands were acknowledged

In his July 5 letter, Robert M. Chapman maintains that "ceded land revenues should benefit everyone." He goes on to say, "I can find no basis for the claim by OHA or anyone else that these lands were 'stolen' from them, as they never owned these lands."

His opinion ignores the body of Hawaii law that established the Office of Hawaiian Affairs and provides payment for ceded land revenues. The case is succinctly stated in the "whereas clauses" of U.S. Public Law 103-150:

"Whereas, prior to the arrival of the first Europeans in 1778, the native Hawaiian people lived in a highly organized, self-sufficient, subsistent social system based on communal land tenure...

"Whereas, the (self-proclaimed) Republic of Hawaii also ceded 1,800,000 acres of crown, government and public lands of the Kingdom of Hawaii, without the consent of or compensation to the native Hawaiian people...

"Whereas, the indigenous Hawaiian people never directly relinquished their claims to their ...national lands to the United States."

The complete law can be found at http://Hawaii-Nation.Org/publawall.html.

Understanding this, why not pay 100 percent of the revenues to OHA? Equitable settlement of this claim will benefit all the people of Hawaii.

Rolf Nordahl
Via the Internet

There's magic in Hawaii's yacht entries

Thank you for the July 12 write-up and great photos by Ken Ige on Abracadabra 2000. This beautiful 80-foot yacht will represent the Waikiki Yacht Club and the state of Hawaii in the Louis Vuitton Cup to be held in Auckland, New Zealand, beginning Oct. 18. Wyland's spectacular painting of sea mammals on the boat is something to see.

Even people who don't sail are impressed with these terrific boats. It was unfortunate that the Hawaii Tourism Authority did not find this a worthwhile vehicle for promoting tourism. This, of course, would prove to be a massive mistake if Abracadabra 2000 wins the right to challenge Team New Zealand for the Cup.

Virginia M. Templeman
Hawaii Kai
Via the Internet

Quotables "Judges must be free to make their decisions without fear of reprisal." Ronald T.Y. Moon HAWAII SUPREME COURT CHIEF JUSTICE On the need for judicial independence "You are unable or unwilling to address adequately the drug problem. I have no choice but to revoke bail." Barry Kurren FEDERAL MAGISTRATE To Milton Holt before revoking the bail of the former Bishop Estate employee and state senator, who tested positive for crystal meth while awaiting trial for campaign fund theft

Even in databases, blacks find bias

Thomas Sowell, in his July 19 column, "The privacy nightmare of computer databases," probably doesn't want to admit it, since he's trying to make a different point. But I'm sure that if Sowell weren't black, the police officer would not have put his license number into the database in the first place. A white man of the same age, driving the same car, probably wouldn't even get a second glance.

Evelyn Shepard

There are worse things than flag-burning

Why people like Bret R. Hinerman (Letters, July 13) get so worked up over the act of burning the American flag is beyond my ability to comprehend. He should spend his idle time thanking his lucky stars that he lives in the most militarily overpowering nation-state in history.

What if Hinerman had been unfortunate enough to reside in Belgrade or other parts of Yugoslavia this spring? Then he'd be one of those with the poor luck of having U.S. and NATO bombs dropping in his neighborhood, perhaps on his home, school, hospital or on a nearby diplomatic embassy or media center.

Hopefully, after this contemplation, Hinerman will understand just how privileged he is.

Ikaika Valdez
Pearl City
Via the Internet

How about relocating the Natatorium?

I do not know Bruce Wong, who stated that Waikiki is no place for a war memorial (Letters, July 20), but I certainly agree with him.

It seems to me that, if the centuries-old London Bridge can be moved from England to Arizona, it should be a relatively simple matter to move the pertinent parts of the World War I memorial to the Punchbowl Cemetery, which is a much more appropriate location. The remainder could be demolished and the residue moved off-shore to create an artificial reef to propagate sea life.

William G. Burlingame Sr.
Mililani
Via the Internet

Restoration is least we can do for vets

I am beginning to wonder if we've lost sight of the reason the Natatorium was built. It's not a tourist attraction, nor is it a recreational area. It is not a political football built to collect PR brownie points.

It is a memorial to those who gave their lives and made huge sacrifices for our country. I personally don't have relatives who fought in World War I but that doesn't lessen my gratitude.

How we can be debating whether we should be restoring it. The answer should be a resounding, "Yes!"

In fact, the appropriate form of the restoration should be a museum to remind us that those who died in that war had faces and names and stories worth telling to our children. We must remember, so as not to repeat the mistakes of our past.

Kevin Saito
Via the Internet

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