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Mirikitani's protests seem hypocritical

City Councilman Andy Mirikitani appears to be the classic hypocrite. His response to being investigated for alleged misdeeds is, "I didn't do anything illegal or improper."

It's ironic how he shrugs off the charges with the same response that may have been given by the X-rated establishments he has investigated and tried to destroy.

They can claim a legitimate license to do business, and of not doing "anything illegal and improper." All they want to do is to continue doing business with a segment of society that needs and wants their type of entertainment, albeit different from Mirikitani's.

The councilman places his own morals above those of the bad girls down the street. Sure. Big difference.

Ken Chang
Kaneohe

Roof could prevent more rock slide damage

Here's a suggestion for a permanent solution to the Waimea rock slide situation: Build a heavily reinforced concrete roof over this section of the highway.

This will avoid extensive blasting of the rock face and help to preserve the structures overhead. When it's completed, driving through it will seem like driving through a tunnel.

Before any construction is commenced, the rock face must be faced with a heavy wire mesh to protect the construction crews working below.

Riji Hori

Quotables "Instead of cutting back, (you're) raiding some of these funds to balance the budget." Donna Mercado Kim Honolulu city councilwoman Criticizing the Harris administration's desire to use $23 million from the HPOWER special fund to help balance the city operating budget "If they had taken a few billion dollars and put it in an index fund 10 years ago, they would be better off today than with these ad hoc, harebrained, get-rich-quick, relationship-based deals." Randy Roth University of Hawaii law professor and co-author of "Broken Trust" Criticizing some of the high stakes investment decisions that have cost Kamehameha Schools million of dollars in losses

Minn epitomizes Democratic ideals

Your March 8 photograph of Momi Minn, which accompanied a story about Hawaii's Super Tuesday, deserves special comment. For many of us, Minn is a party leader who, since Gov. John Burns' time and as a former national committee woman, personifies everything good about the Democratic Party.

Minn, 83, has been battling cancer for the past five months. So it was inspiring to see her participating in Super Tuesday despite setbacks that could have stopped those with less dedication. Thank you for printing that photo.

Josephine S. Chay
Former State Central Committee
Democratic Party of Hawaii

Leaders should think before spouting off

The cavalier utterances of hard-headed Ben Cayetano and hot-headed Mililani Trask in the names of the people and the Hawaiians, respectively, pollute and defile Hawaii. Such behavior guarantees that long court battles will empty the coffers of both the state and Office of Hawaiian Affairs without benefitting the common man.

All this divisive brouhaha stems from our straying from the concept that has kept Hawaii's people so happy and united all these years: the belief that the circle of human beings is inclusive, not exclusive.

Richard Y. Will

Hawaiian blood is not enough

All my life I thought I was Hawaiian -- until I found out that I wasn't Hawaiian enough to have homestead property. Yet didn't my ancestors live on and protect this land? As a part-Hawaiian, am I not entitled to the same benefits as those who are more than 50 percent Hawaiian?

I guess if you're not at least half Hawaiian, you might as well not be Hawaiian at all. You can eat the poi, speak the language and live the culture, but don't dare ask for your share of Hawaiian homestead lands.

Kimo Mac

Non-Hawaiians won't vote in OHA election

As a former resident of Hawaii, born and raised in the islands but not of Hawaiian descent, I understand the dissatisfaction and frustration among Hawaiians with regard to the U.S. Supreme Court decision on the eligibility of those voting in OHA elections.

However, while the ruling would allow non-Hawaiians access to this election process, most probably wouldn't think of participating. They understand that, out of respect for Hawaiians and their culture, they should excuse themselves from OHA elections.

In suing, did Harold "Freddy" Rice object to not being able to vote for OHA trustees, or to being excluded from voting based on race? Do we know whether he will now cast his vote, or did he just want the right to vote?

In the near term, this will probably have a negligible effect. Going forward, however, native Hawaiians will need to show long-term solidarity to thwart the efforts of non-Hawaiians whose agendas conflict with those of OHA and the Hawaiian people.

At the same time, non-Hawaiians need to be properly educated as to why they have no place in this election process, despite being given the constitutional right to participate.

Eric Ogawa
New York, N.Y.

City golf course positions go unfilled

In his recent budget announcement, Mayor Harris stated that he intends to fill some of the 150 vacant city parks positions. Yet there was no mention of filling the 40 vacant golf course positions. This is ridiculous, because there should be enough money from municipal course user fees to cover the cost of these jobs.

In the meantime, golfers continue to blame city employees for the courses' deterioration without realizing that some of them are operating with skeleton crews.

We estimate that the budget for the courses to be in the neighborhood of $6-7 million, and the revenues generated from user fees to be between $10-11 million.

So what is the problem?

Last year they included debt service charges, which we consider to be illegal and which should be debated by the candidates for mayor.

The municipal courses could save another $120,000 annually by getting rid of the unreliable and unfriendly computer tee-time system. This system has gone down over 20 times during the past six months, and the private contractor doesn't seem to care or have a way to trouble-shoot the problem.

Wilfred K. Hayashi
Aiea

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