Homeland Security Secretary Tom Ridge and Gov. Linda Lingle answered reporters' questions yesterday at the Asia- Pacific Security Summit and Exposition in Waikiki.
Ridge promises
quicker visas
The visiting secretary
of homeland security says
he recognizes the travel
impact here
Homeland Security Secretary Tom Ridge said yesterday his department is speeding up the processing time for travel visas, a key issue for a tourist-dependent state like Hawaii.
But Gov. Linda Lingle is wondering whether more can be done to ease travel for visitors to Hawaii.
Ridge and Lingle made their comments on the opening day of the second annual Asia-Pacific Security Summit and Exposition in Waikiki.
Following the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, Ridge admits, getting travel visas took weeks, sometimes months, because more time was being spent on performing background checks of applicants.
"After 9/11 we made some adjustments that were appropriately and predictably heavy on security," Ridge said. "We changed that process so that the background checks can be completed quicker."
He said his department is also working with colleges and universities to ease travel for foreign students who come to America to study.
Lingle said visa approvals are also slower, especially in large countries like China, because applications are being handled by just one or two embassies.
She said she discussed with Ridge collective visa approvals for people who come here for a specific purpose like conventions and conferences.
The state already has experienced significant losses because of visa issues. The organizers of the Fifth World Chinese Life Insurance Congress canceled its August engagement at the Hawai'i Convention Center because prospective attendees were having trouble getting visas. The convention was expected to bring 3,200 people to Honolulu.
Sporting events also have been affected. A basketball team from Samoa did not participate in a tournament at Brigham Young-Hawaii because of visa problems. The same happened to a Chinese team.
Lingle said Ridge suggested that the American chambers of commerce in countries like Japan and South Korea could help expedite the visa process.
"Bottom line, we want people to be able to travel easier in and out of Hawaii, and these are some of the main markets," Lingle said.
During his talk, Ridge also praised Hawaii's strategic plan for dealing with terrorist attacks even though there are no specific threats targeting the state. And he said Hawaii should receive about as much funding for homeland security from his department as it did last year.
Lingle said the state received $22 million last year and anticipates receiving $21 million to $24 million this fiscal year.
But Ridge would not say whether he will remain at his post for President Bush's second term in office. He said he has not submitted his resignation, but praised the work of Secretary of State Colin Powell, who announced his resignation yesterday.
"I'm sure the president accepts his resignation with regret because he made an extraordinary contribution to the safety and security of the country, not only as a soldier, but also as a statesman," Ridge said.
The resignations of three other Cabinet members were also announced yesterday: Agriculture Secretary Ann Veneman, Education Secretary Rod Paige and Energy Secretary Spencer Abraham. Attorney General John Ashcroft announced his resignation last week.
