Public schools should control their money

As more than 20 of Hawaii's public schools prepare for a major state overall next year ("Reforms target struggling students," March 9), I would caution the public not to blame the parents or the students, but to blame the system. If the state gave control of the money to the individual schools and the districts the school served, we would not be in this kind of situation.

The teachers are overworked, the parents are up in arms, and the students are the ones blamed? No. I think everyone here is doing everything they can, and I think that instead of blaming students or parents or teachers, we need to blame the top. They need to look around at what the top districts in the nation are doing, and modify our system to those standards. If they did that, I wouldn't have to write this now.

Enforcement will help stop pedestrian deaths

It is a shame that two young ladies were struck in a crosswalk on McCully Street (Star-Bulletin, March 6). It is equally tragic that the operator of the vehicle left without rendering assistance. The fact is, all parties involved might have violated existing laws.

I believe that, perhaps, a lack of proactive police enforcement may be a contributing factor. There are too many people jaywalking, walking against lights (and that includes beginning to cross at an intersection when the Don't Walk/Red Hand is already blinking), and walking down or standing in roadways. Police officers witness this but apparently fail to do something about it at the time. Only 19 percent of the 57 pedestrians killed in Hawaii during the last two years were in marked pedestrian crosswalks. That means that 81 percent were likely violating an existing law and their actions may have contributed to their demise.

Instead of enacting another law to "clamp down" on vehicle operators, why aren't the enforcement agencies compelled to proactively enforce existing laws pertaining to both pedestrians and vehicle operators? It has been too long since these and other existing laws have been enforced (prior to a tragic incident) and now many people violating them may no longer realize that they are breaking a law. I hope that enforcement agencies would immediately begin proactive enforcement of all of the laws instead of "congregating" at the scene of an accident. By instilling the knowledge of vehicle and pedestrian laws through both education and pure enforcement (citations for infractions prior to those involved being involved in an accident/fatality), in time, a reduction in the workload on the police agencies will be realized.

Educate the people. Talk with them and cite the chronic and extreme violators. We criticize public schools for an alleged inferior educational process and this strikes a parallel.

Politicians didn't pander to Hawaiians

Garry Smith (Letters, Feb. 19) equates the repeal of Chapter 38 to pandering of politicians to Hawaiian-rights groups. After several readings of his letter, I must agree with him at some level.

He is correct in his assessment that those concerned with Hawaiian rights and issues made their collective voices and presence heard in support of Chapter 38 repeal, as they also did via the ballot box in the mayoral election. For too long, they have sat idly by, satisfied -- to their detriment -- to let the voices of others determine their futures. This new genie of political activism is now out of its bottle, and won't be persuaded to return; is this not a celebration of the democratic process?

Smith is also correct in his observation that the alii trusts vigorously defended their property rights, as was their fiduciary duty. We should recognize that these charitable trusts were created to support medical, social and educational programs for our children, both present and yet unborn, while lessees seek only to support the charity of their personal wealth. By what stretch of logic can we support the "rights" of lessees to profit, yet disparage the efforts of the alii trusts to husband and protect their resources to accomplish present and future good?

I must, however, disagree with Smith on his final point. Repeal of Chapter 38 does not cast people into the street; it simply interrupts the profit-cycle of those benefitting from sales of condemned lands. They can continue to either lease or rent, but their ownership of leased lands is denied. Smith finally asks, "where's the aloha"? I must sadly report that "aloha" flies out the window when land-theft sneaks in the back door.

Have the politicians "pandered"? I suggest that they have "thoughtfully listened and considered." The democratic process works. God Bless America.

'Life, liberty' quote actually in Declaration

In Jim Henshaw's scathing March 9 rebuttal to Richard Hoke's March 6 letter about government's "duty to provide its homeless citizens with the basic necessities of life," he mentions that the version of the Constitution he reads "only advocates limited government and 'life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.'" That exact quote of "life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness" is actually from the Declaration of Independence (of the Thirteen Colonies), not the Constitution of the United States.

I thought it only fair to note this in order to debate better the issue of advocacy and what we can interpret from such documents.

Kanno a 'stooge' of fairness, not labor

Your Feb. 15 editorial calling Sen. Brian Kanno a "stooge of organized labor" was offensive and libelous, but if you insist on using the word "stooge," it would be fairer to write that Kanno is a stooge of fairness for both employers and employees.

On one hand, Hawaii's workers' compensation law protects the employer by generally forbidding the employee to sue. The law also permits the director of the state Department of Labor and Industrial Relations to order the injured worker to be examined by the employer's physician during the disability period. If the employee obstructs the examination, the employer may suspend benefit payments with the director's approval.

On the other hand, the law protects the employee by assigning certain presumptions, among them the presumption that the claim, in absence of substantial contrary evidence, is for a covered work injury. These presumptions allow the worker to get timely medical care and benefits.

Kanno has defended this level playing field against every attempt to tilt it. His courage and honesty should be applauded by all employees and employers, whether unionized or not. The Star-Bulletin owes him an apology.

Too much talk, not enough transit action

Conversing with a friend of mine, who's an engineer, over lunch, it was interesting if not startling to learn how far we haven't progressed here, using the ocean as an alternative source of power, as we sit and study, and study, in the middle of the world's deepest and largest ocean.

Sweden, Norway, Finland, Iceland, Belgium, Holland, England and France are all up and running; have been for years. OK, we are testing now. Same issue with trams, trains, underground subway systems.

Mass transit -- fewer cars, less pollution.

God knows if ever the worthy ferry system from island to island that's in the works to create untold convenience to simply drive on and drive off, not to mention local product transit, will ever come to pass. The dock and terminal entrance will still be on the drawing board when the ferry arrives, much like Pier 9 and 10, still the same, since I arrived in 1982. Unbelievable.