Gathering Place
Mike Gabbard
Waianae knows how
to prevent meltdown
in fight against ‘ice’During the last several months the community has come together to do something about the crystal-meth problem in Hawaii. We all recognize the pain and suffering that "ice" addiction causes to our families, businesses and society. But we'll lose our focus and little will be accomplished unless the current momentum is kept going.
Already, there are signs that the public's interest in "ice" is melting away. A recent House-Senate Task Force on Ice and Drug Abatement forum at the Capitol auditorium drew less than a dozen members of the public. The citizens of the Waianae Coast offer a model that shows how to keep the community involved and motivated.
On July 24, more than 1,000 residents of the Waianae Coast joined together for sign-waving and an "Ice Breaker" Town Hall meeting to address the devastating effects of drug abuse with a particular focus on "ice."
But the meeting didn't just happen overnight. For six weeks my office partnered with Ho'omau Ke Ola, the Waianae Weed and Seed program, Ark of Safety Christian Church, Hina Mauka and many others to coordinate and plan this event that brought together law enforcement, elected officials, kupuna, social service providers, churches, unions, schools and area residents to come up with an action plan to tackle this scourge on our society.
The event planners made it clear that this was not to be the usual gathering of law enforcement and elected officials coming in and telling the people what needs to be done to fight ice. Rather it was to be the people telling the officials what they believe needs to happen and then stepping up to the plate to help get the job done. At the forum, more than 20 service providers and neighborhood organizations staffed booths with information on both how to get help and how to get involved. As we planned for this event, it was our top priority to make sure that people who attended the meeting didn't just leave feeling good that they had "done their part." We wanted them to get involved and stay involved in this ongoing fight. And they did.
Shortly after the forum, a community organization was formed in Waianae called PA'I (People Against Ice). Pa'i means "to slap" and this grassroots organization is taking a stand against the drug problem through community partnerships. Currently, PA'I has about 300 members and has steering committees including Comfort/Care, Education/Data, Laws/Enforcement, Media/Publicity, Outreach/Information and Treatment/Intervention.
On Sept. 25, PA'I held a second community meeting with more than 200 people in attendance. At this meeting, the group focused on signing up people for Neighborhood Security Watches that patrol their neighborhoods looking for suspicious activity to be reported to the police department.
Service providers passed out informational materials on how citizens can get involved and on opportunities for people who need assistance in dealing with the consequences of drug abuse. Once again, the strong voices of Waianae came together united in their commitment to take their community back.
PA'I has been a great success in Waianae and can serve as a model for the rest of the state. Each community in Hawaii should have a grassroots organization active and involved in working with law enforcement and government leaders in the fight against ice and other addictions. We can stiffen laws and invest in treatment and prevention -- and more prison space -- but until all of us are truly committed to this war, we don't stand a chance of winning.
Mike Gabbard is a Honolulu City Councilman representing District 1 (Ewa, Kapolei, Waianae Coast).
