PLDC’s mission to privatize land

Rather than Lloyd Haraguchi’s "vision" for public lands ("PLDC provides for public input," Star-Advertiser, Letters, Aug. 24), let’s look at the actual legislation that tasks the Public Land Development Corp. to identify public land for development projects that "include but are not limited to office space; vehicular parking; commercial uses; hotel, residential and time share uses; fueling facilities; and seawater air conditioning plants."

The PLDC will also devise a "public land optimization plan" that will include how to market the projects listed above in "local, national and international markets" and strategize for "federal and state legislative actions that will promote the development and enhancement of Hawaii’s public lands."

The critique of the PLDC’s exemption from the usual development procedures is beside the point. The PLDC is an attempt to privatize public lands that are by definition protected from such in the public’s interest.

Please come to the Board of Land and Natural Resources hearing tonight at 6 p.m. at the Kalanimoku Building at 1151 Punchbowl St. Repeal Act 55!

‘Ilima Long
Makiki

Obama’s action a legal question

President Barack Obama used an executive order to allow illegal immigrants to avoid deportation; in response, 10 immigration agents file suit, stating that Obama’s action forces them to break the law or risk facing discipline.

An editorial ("Welcome reprieve for immigrants," Star-Advertiser, Our View, Aug. 27) said that an "informal adviser to Mitt Romney" gave an "extreme response" and "insensitive challenge" in questioning Obama’s "proper legal authority."

One would think that the question and the story are simply whether the executive action is lawful. How do the competing legal arguments measure up? Rather than address the issue that way, the newspaper opts to substitute feel-good politics for a much-needed discussion on the limits of presidential authority.

Tom Freitas
Hawaii Kai

‘2016′ filmmaker unfair to Obama

The article by Thomas Sowell on the movie "2016," which attempts to characterize President Barack Obama as someone trying to impose a colonial world perspective in the U.S. is both hypocritical and contradictory ("‘2016′ movie claims Obama has Third World perspective," Star-Advertiser, Thomas Sowell, Aug. 25).

The article contends indirectly that because Obama spent some childhood years in Indonesia, that he is influenced by Indonesia’s political views.

While the filmmaker Dinesh D’Souza, who was born in India, can fully subscribe to conservative thoughts, he does not give any credit to Obama that his world view can be complex and thoughtful. India was more of a socialist nation until the end of 1970s than Indonesia ever was during that period. D’Souza allows himself to be a conservative writer regardless of the country where he was born, but claims that Obama is a caricature based on pop-psychology speculations about his background.

Warren Kim
Honolulu

UH president should be fired

The buck stops with the University of Hawaii president, M.R.C. Greenwood. She should be fired. It was her authority that put Jim Donovan and Rich Sheriff on leave without an investigation being made. By this action, she caused us taxpayers to incur $633,600 in costs — $211,200 a year for Donovan’s new three-year contract — to the already lost $200,000, to resolve a threatened lawsuit caused by the placing of unfounded guilt on Donovan. If she had simply left him in his job, his contract would have expired in March 2013.

Norman Tyau
Honolulu

Take ownership of mistakes

Back in the ’30s and ’40s when I was being raised, our parents taught us that we must take responsibility for our actions. "You made your bed, and now you must lie in it," was an oft-repeated phrase. Today "mistakes happen." What has become of the moral fiber of our society?

Louis A. Carnazzo
Honolulu

UH regents must assert authority

The most important function of any board is the hiring, supervision and firing of the chief executive officer. Corporate America has not been a good example of this basic governance tenet, as the CEO frequently serves in a dual capacity as the chairman of the board. This inherent conflict of interest has allowed for the country club-like atmosphere of boards, who are recruited and retained based upon how well they support the CEO. Outrageous levels of compensation and nonsensical "golden parachutes" in the event of termination are part of the packages the cadre of CEOs have convinced boards are necessary to attract and retain their talents.

The University of Hawaii Board of Regents would do well to assert its inherent authority to hold its president accountable for the business of the university. Otherwise, we will be stuck with a system in which no one can be held accountable for anything. And it seems that is what we have.

Auwe.

Nolan S.B. Ahn
Lihue, Kauai

Rail costs likely to skyrocket

The battle between pro- and anti-rail factions reminds me of the building of the H-3 freeway. The antis put up a good fight. Construction was dragged out for years, and in the end, H-3 ended up as perhaps the most expensive per-mile highway in the U.S.

I’ll wager anything that if rail is ever completed it’ll be the most expensive per-mile rail system in the world.

John Higa
Aina Haina

Don’t shut down needed projects

I live in Makaha and used to work in town, but the two-hour commute in the morning and evening wore me out. I took a lower-paying job closer to home and struggled to make it paycheck to paycheck. I would love to have gone to the University of Hawaii but the commute took too much of my time because I have to work as well.

I am Mexican-American and my people’s land was also taken. Our bones are scattered all over California and Nevada. This is 2012. If we were going to worry about all the bones on this planet, we should have stopped construction worldwide years ago.

Starlin Martinez
Waianae

Parents are key to school success

I fervently believe the welcome attempts to upgrade our schools-teachers-educational gestalt must succeed. However, we must promote the involvement of parents as their children navigate from kindergarten through grade 12.

Without parental input, all best-intentioned efforts to upgrade our educational systems will only encounter more difficulties. Parents must assume their share of responsibility.

Karin L. Kosoc
Kailua