Action against rebels in Philippines failed

The Philippine government's recent military action against Abu Sayyaf rebels was an unadulterated failure.

Although it is evident that the "war on terrorism" mantra is again being invoked for damage control, the action was simply an ill-conceived and poorly executed ambush, resulting in the deaths of two innocents.

Should these deaths be subject to less scrutiny simply because Manila has recently persuaded Washington to call Abu Sayyaf terrorists rather than bandits?

Paul Hayward
Kalihi Uka

Mufi's fresh ideas are needed at city hall

I wish Mayor Jeremy Harris were running for governor because then the mayor's race would still be on. We need some fresh ideas, like fiscal restraint, in Honolulu Hale. Of all the candidates, Mufi Hannemann impressed me the most and would have gotten my vote.

Hannemann was the one person who stood up to Harris when the mayor started spending money like a kid with his parent's credit card. We needed someone to cancel that credit card and now we need someone to patch up our city's finances.

Wendell Faria

The late Rev. Komuro had national influence

The passing June 4 of the Rev. Harry S. Komuro, retired United Methodist minister and superintendent from 1954 to 1963 of the former Hawaii Mission of the United Methodist Church, leaves behind a great legacy of fulfilled visions for his beloved Hawaii. He was a man of great vision who lived to see most of them fulfilled.

It was a dream of Komuro's that led to the establishment of Hawaii Loa College (since merged with Hawaii Pacific University). He brought national educational executives of the Methodist and United Church of Christ to survey the possibilities for a church-related liberal arts college here.

Their recommendation that it needed to be jointly established by four major denominations made it the only university in the United States jointly founded by four major churches (United Methodist, United Church of Christ, United Presbyterian and Episcopal.) The late Harold Castle donated the 150-acre site on Windward Oahu and an intercultural institution was born.

It was also his vision that brought to Honolulu the Goodwill Industries to employ handicapped people. He pioneered the establishment of the Pohai Nani retirement home in Kaneohe. His vision of the need for securing a YMCA-trained professional youth director to organize and train young people was responsible for bringing the late Jim McGiffin to do just that. He further implemented this program by bringing to Hawaii teams of clergy from the mainland to help train lay persons in island churches. Today they are local leaders.

It was not surprising then that after his major contributions to Hawaii, he was appointed by the National Division of the Methodist Board of Missions to head the entire outreach mission of the church in Hawaii. This man who grew up in Hawaii became a nationally known leader.

Frank E. Butterworth

Unused seat belts do no good

I would like to express my support for the Honolulu Police Department's new enforcement program for wearing seat belts. People should wear seat belts for their safety and for the safety of others. Why have seat belts in cars if they aren't used?

Louie Agbayani Jr.
Eighth grade Kalaukaua Middle School

Cable network builders should be commended

Contrary to the Star-Bulletin's unfriendly tone in its article ("Fiber-optic firm taps federal gold mine," June 4) concerning a 1,500-mile fiber-optic cable network being constructed on Hawaiian Home Lands, Robert Kihune and Al Hee, officers of Sandwich Isles Communication Corp., should be commended.

After all, the incredible benefits of fiber-optic networks are easily visible throughout the islands and the mainland, so why not praise such visionaries who since 1995 have endeavored to build a first-class infrastructure that will benefit Hawaiian society and ultimately all Hawaii.

However, the article takes an opposite approach, harping about the project not being regulated by the Public Utilities Commission and vilifying it as an effort to cash in on a federal funding loophole. Given the size and development potential of this project, there is no call for such negative harassment. Any rural fiber-optic development should be viewed as a terrific breakthrough with tremendous potential.

Although many of the 20,000 homes this network is designed to serve haven't been built, it's obvious that having it available will help enable the future development of these homes.

If state leaders are not willing or able to provide for the betterment of native Hawaiians, they must take destiny into their own hands, because that's exactly what sovereignty and self-government are all about.

Hank Raymond
Coulee Dam, Wash.
Former Hawaii resident

Audubon a wonderful solution for Waimea

It is exciting to see the National Audubon Society interested in managing the treasures of Waimea Falls Park. Of the three bidders, the society alone can provide the quality programs that will preserve and interpret the Hawaiian culture and the priceless collection of rare plants and animals in a sensitive manner.

Waimea Falls needs the care of a respected and highly experienced nonprofit organization that will harness the resources of the people of the North Shore, other volunteers and highly qualified experts. The society will be able to return all income back into restoring these invaluable facilities without a profit motive.

This is an idea worth pursuing and finalizing. Let's not drop the ball.

A.L. Rogers
Retired manager
Kahana Valley State Park

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