Advertisement - Click to support our sponsors.

Letters
to the Editor

Write a Letter to the Editor

Saturday, August 5, 2000

Kahapea verdict offers lesson for public officials

Guilty! This must be the most stinging word that Michael Kahapea ever heard. He probably didn't expect this verdict in the Ewa Villages trial. From his defense counsel, his appeal is hinged on the fact that the key witness, Mayor Harris, wasn't allowed to testify. I think this is a weak argument.

The fact that the defense never succeeded in discrediting the prosecution witnesses makes the appeal less likely to succeed.

I hope the punishment for this man will be enough to make him realize that what he did was wrong. May it be a lesson too for all politicians and public officials that there are great responsibilities when you seek public office. Kahapea deserved to be punished. Forgiveness will come after justice has been served.

Virgil Gabriel
Mililani

Hard work and honesty prevailed in Villages case

A hearty thanks to Capt. Dan Hanagami of the Honolulu Police Department's White Collar Crime Unit for the thousands of hours spent tracking down and piecing together the evidence used to convict Michael Kahapea.

Congratulations also to Deputy Prosecutor Randy Lee and his team for refining the evidence and presenting it in a convincing manner. Mahalo also to the city employees who found the gumption to force the matter to official attention. Political leaders must do more to encourage ALL public servants to care for the public's interest so well.

Perhaps this would foster earlier detection next time. One or more city employees may have succumbed to greed, but we should take encouragement from the fact that it was other honest government workers who took care of business.

John Tsukayama

Quotables "This is a feeling...that not only can we win, but we must win." Miriam Hellreich GOP NATIONAL COMMITTEEWOMAN FROM HAWAII Describing the feeling among delegates attending the Republican Party convention in Philadelphia where Texas Gov. George W. Bush was officially nominated as the party's presidential candidate "We are deeply concerned about Mr. Foley's willingness to set aside his legal crusades and agenda to administer justice in an evenhanded way." Leon Siu MEMBER OF CHRISTIAN VOICE OF HAWAII Objecting to the nomination of attorney Dan Foley to the state Intermediate Court of Appeals. Foley gained notoriety for representing three gay couples seeking the legal right to marry in Hawaii.

Lingle does a great job leading Hawaii GOP

Harry J. Friel's July 10 letter is just another letter bashing Linda Lingle. We are fortunate to have someone like her -- who has made intelligent decisions regarding social values -- as the leader of Hawaii's Republican party.

All I can say to people like Friel is, if you don't like her or the new Republican Party of Hawaii, change it by persuading a majority of Republicans to your position. Until that day arrives, remember Ronald Reagan's 11th commandment, "Thou shall not speak ill of another Republican."

Garry P. Smith
Ewa Beach

City golf course is in appalling condition

On a recent outing to the Ted Makalena Golf Course, I was shocked to find the conditions comparable to a cow pasture.

With green fees and cart fees totalling $24 each, what should a golfer expect in return? Is it asking too much to expect a course to be mowed, watered, or maintained to a degree that it at least looks and plays like a golf course?

On rainy days the course covers you from head to toe with red mud due to the lack of grass. On dry, windy days the red mud is carried off as dust stuck to every part of you and your equipment.

It is easy to see why there were no stand-bys or people with starting times lined up to play a round of golf. What a shame! What a waste! What gives?

Hal K. Takahashi

Better warning needed when roads are closed

Why didn't the electronic signs on H-1 warn me on Sunday that Kamehameha Highway was closed at Sunset Beach? By the time I reached the area where a hostage situation had led the police to close the road, it had been closed for five hours. If I had seen signs in Honolulu, I could have saved hours by immediately driving around the Windward coast.

I also call on the police, other government officials, and community to discuss the policy of completely closing roads in emergency situations. It seems to happen more and more frequently, often with little regard to the government's responsibility to provide alternative routes.

Bob Graham

Fighting Blue Hens have a storied history

John Flanagan is to be commended on his knowledge of history concerning the Fighting Blue Hens of the University of Delaware (July 29, Letter to Readers, "A warrior by any other name"). With apologies to Paul Harvey, here is the rest of the story.

In January 1776, Col. John Haslet formed the first Delaware regiment, which included a company of soldiers from Kent County under Capt. Jonathan Caldwell. Caldwell's men took with them two gamecocks hatched from eggs from a steel blue hen bred in their home county.

The soldiers pitted their fighting birds against birds from other regiments, and the "blue hen's chickens" reportedly never lost a fight.

When Caldwell's company went into battle, they raised the cry, "We're sons of the Blue Hen, and we're game to the end!" From the company it spread to the regiment and soon they enjoyed the name, "Blue Hen's Chickens."

They weren't chickens in today's sense of the word. They fought at Long Island, White Plains, Trenton and Princeton.

Haslet was killed leading the advance at Princeton. From the time of the Revolutionary War until today, Delaware residents were proud to be called Blue Hen's Chickens or Blue Hen's Chicks.

George Hearn

Legislators must override vetoes

Since statehood, Hawaii's Legislature has yet to develop the courage to override a veto.

This year, Governor Cayetano has vetoed 42 pieces of legislation. Thirty were passed unanimously by both the House and Senate.

Therefore, in addition to the issues of Senate terms and the chaotic medical privacy bill, our Legislature should meet in special session to override these vetoes.

It is essential that the legislative branch use its power when the executive is clearly misguided.

Hawaii's Legislature is spineless. Failing to override when every elected representative from every district in the state has supported a measure comes with disregard of common sense, with disrespect to our diverse people and communities, and with indifference to the legacy of democracy.

Rep. Chris Halford
R, 11th House District

Pundits ignore China's threat to U.S. industry

Syndicated columnists Thomas Friedman and Paul Krugman have strongly endorsed the U.S. success in getting China into the World Trade Organization. They ignore that it encourages our corporate giants to move more factories into China.

Those businesses lack restrictions on child labor, working hours, pollution, unsafe and unsanitary work places, or minimum wages. Their products can then be sold more cheaply and more profitably in the United States, closing our own industries and sharply reducing job opportunities.

Jerome G. Manis

It's the mayor's fault that Big Islanders are unruly

I am writing in response to A.A. Symser's "Hawaii's World" columns Aug. 1 and Aug. 3, with regard to Big Island Mayor Stephen Yamashiro. We are happy to be called the unruliest population in the state.

It was all right in the 19th century to talk about ruling people in Hawaii. However, in a democracy the mayor does not rule the population of the island. The mayor is an employee of the people, and is obligated to execute their will. The reason that the population is unruly is that the people do not want to be ruled, but rather want to be listened to.

Perhaps that is the problem Yamashiro has had during both his terms. He refuses to listen to his constituents.

We also thank either Yamashiro or Smyser for calling those who oppose the mayor intellectuals. If we had more such people, perhaps the politicians would not think we should be ruled.

Lee Meyerson
Kailua-Kona, Hawaii

Budget cuts haven't diminished care at Queen's

A Star-Bulletin July 20 article implied that cost reductions at the Queen's Medical Center have negatively affected patient care. I disagree with this contention and feel that your portrayal will result in undue fears in our patients.

I am a cardiologist and the chief of staff of the Queen's Medical Center. I am responsible for the governance of our medical staff of more than 1,200 physicians. I am also charged with overseeing our clinical quality management programs.

While I am the first to agree that our health-care institutions are under financial siege, I have not seen a direct negative impact on the quality of our patient care. We have documented improvements in clinical outcomes for our patients despite our financial losses. This paradox can be directly attributed to the commitment and dedication of our staff.

Physicians and nurses are asked each day to do more with less resources. Our commitment to patients has maintained a high standard of quality.

As professionals, we put the needs and desires of our patients above our own. Medicine has never been and will never be a 9-to-5 job. While we may complain about long hours and associated emotional stress, every health-care professional is altruistic and is willing to do all that is necessary to improve the health of our patients.

Times are tough and, despite potential balanced budget act reforms, the future will be tougher. We will need help from the community to deal with further economic challenges. Together we can create a healthier and better state.

Robert Hong, M.D.

More letters in Sports:

Changing UH logo was loco

---

Write a
Letter to the Editor

Want to write a letter to the editor? Let all Star-Bulletin readers know what you think. Please keep your letter to about 200 words. You can send it by e-mail to letters@starbulletin.com or you can fill in the online form for a faster response. Or print it and mail it to: Letters to the Editor, P.O. Box 3080, Honolulu, Hawaii 96802. Or fax it to: 523-8509. Always be sure to include your daytime phone number.