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Families must monitor care homes, too

Regarding the Oct. 30 story about a care home operator's manslaughter conviction in the death of a 79-year-old resident from complications from bed sores:

Let's put responsibility where it belongs: the families that neglect relatives in care homes.

Abuse is controllable if families are held liable in a case such as this. Some families have a record of not showing up or overseeing the care of their relatives. If more family members are held accountable for neglect, the facilities will then become responsible long before such abuses surface.

Chucki R. Reed
Kihei, Maui

Ala Wai plan is far too expensive

Governor Cayetano intends to close the Ala Wai Golf Course. It has generated more than $2.9 million per annum. Developing a central park in place of the golf course will cost millions.

Turning Sand Island into a replacement golf course, as proposed, will add another $10-$12 million in expenses. Knowledgeable critics say the water supply is inadequate on Sand Island. Also, the soil condition is not viable for propagating golf course grass.

These conditions lead me to believe that a Sand Island golf course will result in another course like Ted Makalena, where there is a serious problem growing grass on the fairways.

Meanwhile, school buildings need repair. Faculty members and other civil service employees are being denied negotiated pay raises. Their unions should question the Ala Wai Golf Course closure.

An entity grossing millions of dollars annually is being shut down in favor of unnecessary, money-guzzling projects. Where are the governor's priorities? Upgrading Kapiolani and Ala Moana parks should be considered as a cost-saving alternative.

Wallace S. Higa

More, not less, development is needed

Governor Cayetano's proposal to close the Ala Wai Golf Course doesn't go far enough. Redevelopment should be considered in the context of a better Waikiki for everyone.

To defray the expense of constructing a replacement golf course at Sand Island, sell portions of the makai and ewa sides of the Ala Wai course to allow a privately developed, architecturally pleasing tree-lined promenade with low-rise shops, restaurants and a farmer's market.

Sell a portion of the ewa end of the Ala Wai field as a site for a moderate-rise convention hotel.

Dredge the canal and create an adequate outlet to the ocean from the Kapahulu end, through the zoo parking lot then out several hundred yards at Kapiolani, allowing the tides to cleanse the canal. It could be funded by the federal government as a flood control project.

Build elevated pedestrian walkways across the canal. Allow only non-motorized private craft such as canoes, kayaks and small sailboats on it. Run electric-powered water buses with solar-paneled canopies along the canal, privately operated or as part of TheBus.

Residents and tourists will then be able to leisurely cruise the fragrant banks of the Ala Wai.

Richard I. Sasaki

Quotables "It's really not about the money -- it's about people wanting to talk about crimes and not having their butt kicked while doing it." Letha DeCaires HONOLULU POLICE DETECTIVE AND COORDINATOR OF THE CRIMESTOPPERS PROGRAM ON OAHU On how most tipsters refuse any reward offered by the crime-fighting organization "We do not want to be disenfranchised by an ad hoc committee of gubernatorial appointees." Lela Hubbard HAWAIIAN ACTIVIST Urging the interim Office of Hawaiian Affairs trustees not to make any more decisions until the new board convenes

Boomers should be better behaved

I sincerely hope that this year's presidential election is not representative of the leadership of the baby boom generation. If it is, I am afraid we are in for a lot more baby than boom.

Bob Biggs

Everybody looks bad in this election

I love this presidential election. We are closer to knowing the true character of politics and politicians than ever before. I love the fact that the media finally got their noses bloodied for attempting to play God, by manipulating American citizens through their hasty prediction of who the next president was going to be.

I love the greatest of all fishing expeditions we are all on. If you don't like the fish you catch, just throw it back and try again, and again and again until you have the biggest catch of all. I'm more than happy to see what doubts I may have had about the Democratic Party, its presidential candidate totally removed.

While we will someday have a winner, right now we have a clear loser -- Gore and all those who represent him. Here is a politician whose personal ambition, self-serving interests, greed and lust for power at all costs are representative of exactly what I don't want in a leader.

Gerald Bohnet
Laie

Candidates should let voters speak

Texas Gov. George W. Bush attempted to seize the presidency before the Florida vote is fully counted by prematurely declaring victory and putting a transition team in place.

Given that the Florida vote is so close, that absentee ballots have yet to be counted and that there are unfinished hand counts of valid ballots that machine counters may have shown as non-votes, this seems to me a somewhat childish, if not reckless, act.

Both candidates should back off and let the voters decision be legally determined. The voice of the people and the rule of law are supreme, not spin doctors, politicians nor the bullying former Secretary of State James Baker.

Chris Bouslog

Confused voters should have asked for help

There is something fundamentally stupid about citizens who go into a voting booth, cast their votes without questioning the ballot's alleged ambiguity, and then go on to claim they were so confused that they should be allowed to vote all over again because they didn't like the outcome of the election.

Apparently, hundreds of such morons inhabit a few areas of Florida's Palm Beach.

The ballot in question, signed off as acceptable by Democrat officials in Florida, actually had arrows pointing to the respective candidates for president. Still don't get the picture? Then ask for clarification before you make your choice!

Greg Shepherd

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