Advertisement - Click to support our sponsors.

Former Bishop trustees hurt leaseholders

I am in total agreement with Miriam Rosenthal's Sept. 29 letter about the continuing discomfort of people affected by the past actions of Bishop Estate. I am another who completely lost my nest egg, and am stuck with a house I cannot afford to sell due to the outrageous prices set by the estate for fee purchase as a part of leasehold conversion.

I moved to the Big Island hoping to sell my Honolulu house and being able to retire, but instead, at age 67, I am forced to commute 120 miles daily in order to have a full-time job, which I still need to support the mortgage payment on that house.

Even though it is rented, it doesn't begin to cover my annual costs, including back rent I had to pay Bishop Estate because it failed to renegotiate lease rentals and only finally did so after three years and being taken to court.

It is now time for the new trustees and management to negotiate fair fee-simple prices at current market value so people like me can rid themselves of the albatross they created.

Robin Smith

Governor selected good OHA trustees

When the U.S. Supreme Court ruled the Office of Hawaiian Affairs election unconstitutional, OHA trustees should have resigned. Instead, they went to court in an attempt to hold onto their seats.

Then the state Supreme Court ruled that the OHA trustees were seated illegally. Still, no one stepped down.

The trustees' endless legal maneuvering to keep their seats illustrates how they've put their own private interests before those of OHA beneficiaries.

Anyone who has kept up with OHA knows that this group's energy was too often spent in pursuit of personal power. They were always engaged in unproductive bickering.

Once the trustees finally resigned, the governor selected a good array of citizens to replace them. If voters are equally akamai this fall, our Hawaiian community can look forward to significant progress.

Cynthia Murray
Kahului, maui

Everyone has right to 'feel' Hawaiian

I really thought emotional turmoil had been settled in the '70s.

It is virtually a constitutional right to come to grips with our feelings, and no one, not even our mommies and daddies, and least of all politicians and activists, can tell us how to "feel."

Now perhaps we can all retreat to the nearest karaoke bar and join in a sentimental tribute to our internal angst. All together now: "Whoa, whoa, whoa, feelings..." The song may not be Hawaiian, but it certainly does the job.

Beverly Kai

OHA Special

Rice vs. Cayetano arguments

Rice vs. Cayetano decision

Holo I Mua: Sovereignty Roundtable

Quotables "It has such visual impact. It's really meaningful for families to read other stories and their own." Felicia Wells-Williams AFTERCARE COORDINATOR FOR THE ORGAN DONOR CENTER OF HAWAII On the now 5-by-6-foot Hawaii Donor Quilt, constructed from patches from donor families, with each patch carrying the description of a lost loved one "He's an idiot. Why he goin' take away something like this when it's been here for so long?" Barry Sato 39-YEAR-OLD KAHALUU RESIDENT AND FAN OF THE ALA WAI GOLF COURSE On the governor's plan to close the popular Waikiki golf course for redevelopment

Primary ballots were poorly planned

As an election precinct worker, I too must voice my dismay and amazement with the state Office of Elections for the confusion created with the design of the primary ballot.

To reiterate what many others have noted, the ballots did have enough space to have all the parties on one side, with the nonpartisan races on the other side. Not having this setup simply jammed up the voting.

In addition, sample ballots that were laminated and sent out to "demonstration stations" were NOT the exact replica of actual ballots. The colors were in a different order.

It looks like so much time was spent on fine-tuning the voting machine after so many problems last election that the ballots were more of an afterthought.

Lynette Cabral
Ewa Beach

Kanno doesn't deserve another chance

In Christopher K. Eng's Sept. 21 letter, "Senator Kanno should get another chance," he shares an impassioned opinion as to why the incumbent should get another term. I have a more logical reason why Kanno should be replaced.

He had the opportunity to make his decision on the confirmation of former Attorney General Margery Bronster based on what was best for his constituents and the children of Hawaii. Instead, Kanno went to Russell Okata, head of the Hawaii Government Employees Association, to ask for direction on how to vote on Bronster.

Okata didn't vote Kanno into office, his constituents did. Now Kanno begs for our forgiveness.

Since we have a wonderful alternative in Hank Makini, we don't have to hope that Kanno learned from his mistake. With Makini, we can support someone who has integrity and doesn't ask his union masters how to vote.

Laurie Von Hamm
Ewa Beach

Isles unprotected from northeastern tsunami

Your Sept. 23 story about damage from a tsunami in 1946 was very interesting. That tsunami came from the northeast direction, as your map indicated.

Since that year, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has placed four buoys around Hawaii to aid the state in detecting an incoming tsunami. Unfortunately, none is located to our northeast, which is the most dangerous direction.

There are three buoys to our south plus another buoy at Christmas Island, due south on the equator. One buoy is located northwest of Kauai, which would not help at all in case of a northeast tsunami.

Perhaps you could ask NOAA officials why there is no buoy to our northeast. This is a precarious oversight.

Jamie Hunter
Makawao, Maui

Is Bush serious about California?

George W. Bush has campaigned in California every month, even though the polls in that state show he is losing to Al Gore. Is Bush serious about trying to win California or is he just pretending to -- so as to waste Gore's time campaigning there?

Bush Sr. and Bob Dole both tried this very same thing, and it didn't work. Does Jr. really expect Gore and the American people to buy this nonsense the second time around?

Josh Thurlow

---

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.