Airfares too high to fly to Hawaii

I'm saddened to see the tourist industry in Hawaii harmed by the Sept. 11 attacks, but the attacks are not the only factor detrimental to Hawaii tourism.

As a former resident and very frequent visitor to Hawaii -- often twice a year -- airline fares in general have risen this year to the point that air travel from the West Coast to Hawaii can no longer be obtained at reasonable rates.

At current prices, I could fly into the heart of Europe for less money than it would cost to make the five-hour hop to Hawaii.

Hawaii is a beautiful place and is worth visiting again and again. The state should work with airlines serving Hawaii to bring value back to the mainland-Hawaii market. When value returns, Hawaii will see a return to more traditional levels of tourism from the mainland.

Jeff Strailey
Santa Clarita, Calif.

Closing ticket office makes flying harder

Now let me get this straight. An airline isn't selling enough tickets. So it is closing down ticket offices convenient to the public? So now, it will be more difficult to deal with that airline?

Such genuises these people are! I am an elite club member with this airline and have about 19,000 miles in my account.

They can kiss my business good-bye. The airline I fly has to be a bit smarter.

Mark Terry

[QUOTABLES] "We know that by necessity this bill is going to be quite miniscule on the landscape of much larger issues of national security and worldwide and international issues. We totally understand that.." Beadie Kanahele Dawson Hawaiian lawyer and businesswoman, on a bill sponsored by Sen. Daniel Akaka that would give Hawaiians the opportunity to achieve semiautonomous political status similar to American Indian tribes. "If he can do this crime, he can do the time." George Tadeo Resident of Hawaiian Beaches on the Big Island, wanting a 14-year-old neighborhood boy charged with raping and murdering Tadeo's 6-year-old daughter, Kauilani, to be tried as an adult.

Hee has his eye on higher office

It grieves me to learn of the return of Clayton Hee as the chairman of the Office of Hawaiian Affairs. I hope everyone can see that he is using OHA as free media exposure in his campaign for lieutenant governor.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank from the bottom of my heart the diligent, ethical, dedicated and compassionate service of former chairwoman Haunani Apoliona, trustees Colette Machado, Donald Cataluna and Oswald Stender. Even with all the stumbling blocks that Hee and his allies put in your way, you all managed to get rid of the former administrator who did only Hee's bidding, straighten out the budget which had some mysterious items that reappeared after being deleted, and restored morale and self-esteem to the employees.

Of course, there will be some Hee holdovers who are now rejoicing because their jobs are no longer in jeopardy. But that is because Apoliona is not a vindictive person.

I know the new administrator Clyde Namuo, who is doing an excellent job, will be able to withstand Hee's manipulative and intimidating style.

I hope this does not sound the death knell for OHA because the people have been patient and unfortunately, some OHA trustees have their own political and selfish personal agendas.

Again, mahalo nui loa to Apoliona, Machado, Cataluna and Stender. Keep up your good work and vigilance.

Edith U. Ellis

OHA should be put in dustbin of history

The Star-Bulletin's editorial Sept. 14 said the Hawaii Supreme Court had ruled that the Office of Hawaiian Affairs may not receive a share of airport revenues. Actually the court did considerably more than that.

It blew away the black cloud that has hung over Hawaii's economy for five years by reversing Circuit Judge Daniel Heely's 1996 decision in favor of the Office of Hawaiian Affairs, which could have cost the state $300 million to $1.2 billion. It held that, because it conflicts with federal legislation. This landmark decision wiped the slate clean. It requires the Legislature, the governor and all of us to rethink OHA.

OHA has had 23 years and spent hundreds of millions of taxpayer dollars to show its worth. It has spent millions of dollars on slick ads and TV commercials extolling its own virtues, trashing America and advocating the creation of a separate sovereign government for Hawaiians only.

It has spent perhaps millions more on lawyers, bankers, investment advisers, advertising agencies, lobbyists, politicians, and service providers. It has created a bureaucracy whose livelihood depends on keeping Hawaiians in a permanent-victim status.

In those 23 years has it bettered the condition of native Hawaiians? Not in any noticeable way.

Before OHA's creation in 1978, the income from the ceded lands went primarily to the Department of Education, where it benefited all students. Kids of Hawaiian ancestry make up about 26 percent of the public school student body so that Hawaiian kids benefited somewhat more, proportionately, than others.

Now the public schools are dilapidated, text books are in short supply and test scores are below par.

Twenty-three years of buffoonery is enough. It is time to ring down the curtain on this sorry drama. It is time to put OHA in the dustbin of history along with apartheid, white supremacy and the kapu system. it is time to take back the $300 million of our taxpayer money now in the dysfunctional hands of the OHA trustees and restore it to the public schools.

H. William Burgess
Sandra Burgess

Bus transit system a good idea

Congratulations to the Oahu Metropolitan Planning Organization (OMPO) for its wise decision to move forward with the city's Bus Rapid Transit project.

At this time of economic uncertainty, we must all pull together as an ohana to bring in much-needed federal dollars to initiate public construction projects like this one.

Furthermore, OMPO's decision shows great foresight in planning for the long-term future, in which Honolulu's residents will benefit greatly from a state-of-the art rapid transit system.

BRT will promote a more efficient, convenient, productive and environmentally friendly city for the 21st century.

Nikki Love

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