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Incompetence plagues Board of Education

The primary elections once again put voters in a quandary when it comes to selecting six members for the state Board of Education. We can only guess how effective outsiders might be, if elected.

Of the six incumbents, five voted to keep the former state librarian, Bart Kane, in spite of the negative outcome of an employee survey conducted by the League of Women Voters. A very high 84 percent of all eligible employees participated. Of those, 81 percent returned a vote of no confidence in management. Furthermore, the BOE received a harsh financial report from state Auditor Marion Higa, in addition to an earlier unfavorable management audit.

The BOE also appointed a blue-ribbon panel made up of astute citizens (Lee Putnam, Robert Buchanan, Nick Huddleston, Doug Ehresman, Rod McPhee) and three librarians. The decision of the committee was to drop the Baker & Taylor outsourcing contract, regardless of cost.

The question then -- directed to incumbents Brodie, Matsumoto, Nakashima, Toguchi and Watanabe -- is why they seemed to ignore the facts in the two aforementioned cases. How can libraries adequately support the recreational, informational, cultural and educational needs of Hawaii's people when money gets misspent by incompetent leaders?

Sylvia Mitchell

Harris has made Honolulu a better place

To all who are critical of the mayor, I sometimes agree with you. However, how many years have we not had any roads repaired or widened? How old are the water mains that break and cause traffic problems?

Finally, Mayor Harris is hearing our complaints about holes and puddles, narrow streets and traffic difficulties around the island. So what if it is a bother for a couple of months? The mayor has decided to improve our city by repaving streets, adding lighting and increasing police protection.

The delays and frustration will make for a more beautiful city, thanks to the mayor. I will vote to re-elect the person who has the experience and can get results.

Bertha K.Y. Char

Quotables "They prosecute and persecute us to the point we must vacate the seats we won in a certified election in order to preserve a trust that we care about." Rowena Akana FORMER OFFICE OF HAWAIIAN AFFAIRS TRUSTEE Who tendered her resignation last week, along with the other OHA trustees, at a time of challenge for Hawaiian programs and rights "It's a very sad situation, one in which there are no victors. There are only losers." Paul LeMahieu STATE SCHOOLS SUPERINTENDENT On the community's call for the removal of Clarence De Lude as principal of Makaha Elementary. Parents charge that De Lude has created an atmosphere of divisiveness at the Waianae Coast campus.

Everybody wins with the pardon of Foley

Tom Foley has indicated that he wants to support the family he devastated. If prisons are meant for rehabilitation, it has been successful in his case.

Behind bars, Foley cannot compensate Ho Pin Tsai's family. His wife wanted Foley released, and his children needed this pardon so Foley can pay for their education. Foley's repentance to Ho Pin Tsai's family will be his redemption.

What better person to provide for them than the man who took it all away? We can only hope that Foley will take this second chance and embrace its significance.

Yes, I myself have lost a friend to a drunk driver, and I've also been victimized by a drunk driver. As for those who still believe in total condemnation for Foley, your anger will destroy you.

Craig Watanabe

Mayor Apana is blind to Clinton's failings

According to Democratic Maui Mayor Kimo Apana in your Aug. 15 issue, "Clinton doesn't have a downside" except for the Monica Lewinsky scandal. I disagree. Bill Clinton's downside is not the scandal, it is honesty.

Does Apana also believe that Clinton never inhaled? That he had nothing to do with Jennifer Flowers? That he never received a draft notice? If a person will lie under oath, will he be honest the rest of the time?

James Botsas
Pearl City

Unfinished building shows cronyism at work

Are there any real surprises in Thursday's front-page article on the unfinished Pacific Ocean Science and Technology Center building at the University of Hawaii-Manoa? Or is this just another great example of the incompetence and cronyism in this state. I wonder how much kala those contractors donated to the local politicians. How sickening.

Whom does this cheat? Every citizen of this state. Now more money must be spent to correct the defects.

It also cheats the students of UH, which in four year has dropped from the top 25 public universities in the U.S. to the second tier. Can a drop to the fourth and lowest tier be far behind?

There's just too much politics at UH. The governor seems to be more interested in his alma mater, UCLA, than UH. Department of Accounting and General Services, are you listening? The customer and citizens be damned, huh?

Francis Tonaki

Gannett exerts formidable influence

The occasional Honolulu Advertiser update on the sale of the Star-Bulletin sale downplays the fact that the Advertiser is owned by the Gannett Co. -- America's largest media company, including more than 100 U.S. newspapers, USA Today and 22 TV stations.

This conglomerate recently acquired six more daily newspapers in Arizona, Indiana and Louisiana for $2.6 billion; it was the second largest buyout in newspaper history. Gannett also paid another $21 billion for newspapers in Ohio, Wisconsin and Louisiana.

With its purchases of publications in Great Britain, where it owns an 11-newspaper chain, Gannett has earned the distinction of becoming "the 148th most valuable company in America," according to Business Week.

News releases and massaged syndicated columns promote Gannett's financial and political agendas. Meanwhile, its influence on government policies (federal, state and local) is akin to the historic Hearst-era campaigns that furthered corporate interests.

Consequently, the aspect of the Honolulu Advertiser being a "local" Hawaii paper that reports local issues is one of selected company-supported news.

This concentration of power to create and distribute news reduces the diversity of views on all kinds of issues to the detriment of the public. The continued publication of the Star-Bulletin, assuring that diversity, deserves and demands public support.

John K. Kingsley
Wahiawa

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Bulletin closing archive

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