TheBuzz
TheBuzz
Lingle details alphabet
shuffle to biz partyGov. Linda Lingle's keynote speech at a Washington Place reception hosted by Hawaii Business magazine seemed to indicate an outreach effort by the new Republican governor.
It was the magazine's kickoff of the 20th anniversary of its Top 250 list, which ranks Hawaii businesses based on annual sales.
Lingle provided details on the streamlining of the Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism to enable it to focus on expanding and diversifying the economy. She also proposed moving the Housing and Community Development Corp. of Hawaii, whose mission is to provide affordable housing to low-income residents, to the Department of Human Services.
She would move land use and coastal zone management functions from DBEDT to the Department of Land and Natural Resources. Well, duh.
DENNIS ODA / DODA@STARBULLETIN.COM
Gov. Linda Lingle greeted Wendell Tuisaula, an information technology manager at Turtle Bay Resort, during a Hawaii Business magazine reception last night at Washington Place. Wendell won a scholarship to the University of Hawaii's Executive MBA program. Robb Walker, center, nominated Tuisaula.
Another proposal involves merging the Aloha Tower Development Corp. with the Hawaii Community Development Authority, which are a block away from each other. There was no estimate of the cost savings that might be achieved.
Washington Place is potentially available to any group as a function venue.
"Any group or organization who wants to hold something there, at the old manor, can contact the governor's office and put in a request," said Russell Pang, chief of media relations for the Lingle administration.
There are some rules and regulations on its usage, he said.
The magazine's request for the venue was granted, and it also invited the governor to be the speaker.
Available villas
Several companies are doing their part for the Hawaii economy and a handful of wealthy estate owners.Dallas-based Villa Leisure, New York-based Villas & Apartments Abroad and Rhode Island-based Wimco are pushing selections of vacation rentals. Each rents high-end to highest-end villas and estates in exotic locations.
For instance, the home page at www.villaleisure.com loads with an array of 12 scenic photo icons in three vertical rows. Hawaii is in the second row, third from the left, after icons titled Jamaica, Barbados, French St. Martin, the Caribbean and Mexico.
It is followed by icons for "The Finest," Europe, Yachts, Italy, Casa De Campo and Tobago.
The "Finest" includes international selections as well as five in Hawaii: one in Lankai, the rest on Maui.
The Hawaii icon also offers the Lanikai estate, with its seven bedrooms, staff, a history of hosting "entertainment notables" and its $4,000 a night starting rate.
Everyone may have a different vision of what a villa should look like. Of course the Hawaii choices were nothing to shake a stick at. However at the Italy icon the villas look like villas. They're in Tuscany and date to the 19th century. Rates are available upon request.
Not that having to ask how much it costs proves you can't afford it. The posted rates provide pretty much the same answer.
For dreaming or drooling purposes, the other previously mentioned vacation rental promoters are at: www.vaanyc.com and at www.wimco.com (sigh).
Erika Engle is a reporter with the Star-Bulletin.
Call 529-4302, fax 529-4750 or write to Erika Engle,
Honolulu Star-Bulletin, 500 Ala Moana Blvd., No. 7-210,
Honolulu, HI 96813. She can also be reached
at: eengle@starbulletin.com
