Don't be so easy on red-light runners

The bill to be introduced by Sen. Lorraine Inouye to use traffic cameras to catch and fine scofflaw drivers who ignore red traffic lights is a good beginning. However, it needs some refining -- mainly the elimination of the initial one-year period in which only warnings would be issued.

Anyone who drives the streets and highways of Oahu must realize that a law-abiding driver is an extremely rare person. Speeding is probably the most prevalent transgression. Running red lights also occurs all too frequently. I pay particular attention to how many incidents I observe where drivers have ample time to stop, but do not, before the yellow light changes to red.

If they are old enough and sufficiently skilled to have qualified for a driver's license, they surely know that running a red light is not only a traffic violation, but also a highly unsafe move. Don't give them a one-year period, or any period, where they can continue their deliberate traffic violations without penalty. If we want to stop them, stop them now.

Kamehameha statue calls for a sign

I would like to thank the person who wrote to "Kokua Line" (Jan. 10) for drawing attention to the deplorable lack of signage at the King Kamehameha statue on King Street. The writer stated that "surely our government can do better for this illustrious warrior!"

I became aware of the problem in 1998, and then approached the Legislature, Office of the Governor, Office of Hawaiian Affairs, King Kamehameha Celebration Commission, and Department of Accounting & General Services with its State Foundation on Culture and the Arts. All to no avail.

I even rounded up a private donor who was willing to put up $5,000 to pay for a sign. He got tired of waiting and dropped out, but then the signmaker, moved by the events of Sept. 11, 2001, decided to donate a sign to help our sagging tourism industry. After three more years of waiting, he, too, dropped out. Now taxpayers are going to have to pay many times more than $5,000!

Let's hope DAGS Comptroller Russ Saito and Bill Souza, the new commission head, can get things moving. It took Kamehameha two decades to unite the Hawaiian islands. Is it going to take that long to honor him for the deed?

Drug proposal has all the key ingredients

The Lingle administration's drug proposal has the missing ingredients to the legislation passed last term consisting mostly of drug treatment monies ("Lingle drug plan focuses on prevention," Jan. 19). To even attempt to squash out the scourge of addiction that permeates our island communities, a three-pronged approach is needed. Lt. Gov. James "Duke" Aiona's package of proposals will finally even out the triangle of help available. Until now help was unevenly balanced in favor of treatment only.

I urge our legislators to pass this important package of proposals. At this time Hawaii needs serious legislation like this to get a rein on our islandwide epidemic. Anything less would be fruitless and destructive to our island communities. Thank you, Mr. Aiona, for realizing and drafting solutions that will work when implemented together with treatment programs.

Maybe this Legislature will get things done

Let's hope the current legislative session is not just another in a long line of rhetoric-generating talk sessions. It appears lawmakers may finally be coming to their senses in offering better financial support to our teachers, and are taking a hard look at mass transit, the war on drugs and traffic safety. It is unlikely however, that we will see any meaningful change with the party politics that always manages to railroad any real change or progress. The Democrats always find a way to fault Republicans, and the Republicans always blame the Democrats.

Meanwhile, our educational system is plagued by problems, foremost of which is teacher salaries. And how many more people will need to be injured or maimed before our Legislature gets a clue about imposing fireworks restrictions? Property crimes continue to plague our island. The continued debate over mass transit is wasting time and money that could have been allocated to have a rail system in place.

Why do lawmakers have to turn no-brainer decisions into rocket science debates? Is anyone listening?