Kokua Line
Kokua Line
Question: I have been watching the Nexium drug commercial on TV, and I swear that they filmed it at Shark's Cove and Pupukea. Can you find out if that's where they filmed that commercial? Drug commercial setting
not likely to be in HawaiiAnswer: We don't know where the commercial you're talking about was shot, but it most likely wasn't Hawaii.
Donne Dawson, interim manager of the Hawaii Film Office, said Nexium wasn't "showing up in our records." Her office keeps tabs on film and commercial production in the state.
Production crews, whether for films or commercials, are required to obtain a state permit to shoot in public locations, such as Shark's Cove. Since no permits are required if private property is used, "it's totally conceivable that we (might not) know about it," Dawson said. But even that's unlikely if it's a nationally televised commercial.
A lot of Japanese commercials are shot in Hawaii, although the level of activity tapered off after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, she said. The most recent U.S.-made commercials that utilized Hawaii locales include former sumotori Konishiki plugging VISA, Toyota and Honda ads shot on Oahu, and Microsoft and Liz Claiborne commercials filmed on the Big Island, Dawson said.
Q: I am a licensed contractor and I read with interest your Kokua Line column (Feb. 28) on unlicensed contracting work involving Tevita Ungounga. I was particularly interested in the answer by JoAnn Uchida, of the state Regulatory Industries Complaints Office, when you asked why Ungounga hasn't been arrested. She said her office was working with law enforcement authorities "to see if that's a possibility." RICO bills itself as the overseer of the contracting business, but it does not have any law enforcement authority. However, the law (Hawaii Revised Statutes 444-36) does say it should report all criminal violations it uncovers to the attorney general or county prosecutors. According to HRS 436B-27(b), all unlicensed activities are misdemeanors. So why hasn't RICO reported this man to the proper authorities so they can go out and bust him? It's been two years since the first judgment was issued against him and he's still out there operating?
A: Uchida said you're correct about the procedure regarding criminal prosecution.
"If we determine that there is an unlicensed contractor out there," with numerous complaints about unlicensed activities, "we will explore a number of different options," including with different law enforcement authorities, she said.
That has been the case with Ungounga, she said, but declined to give details, saying she did not want "to jeopardize our ongoing enforcement efforts."
Authorities have not been able to nab him for an unspecified reason.
"We appreciate any leads that the public can provide," Uchida said, noting that a caller Kokua Line referred to her office last week gave investigators a good lead regarding his current "job site."
If anyone has information about Ungounga, call RICO at 587-3222.
Mahalo
To Jack Liu of the Clean Air Branch of the state Department of Health for his helpfulness and courteousness in helping us clear up a neighborhood problem. -- No Name
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