Debate ideas, not donations

Derek Kauanoe insinuates that the Office of Hawaiian Affairs must be under attack because some donations from individuals residing out of state were made to my 2012 campaign to become an OHA trustee-at-large ("OHA under attack by out-of-state interests," Star-Advertiser, Island Voices, Nov. 18).

The article fails to reveal the amount in question: $3,725 — hardly enough to constitute a threat to OHA. Furthermore, all the money was given by my relatives, friends or individuals who either grew up in Hawaii or studied at the University of Hawaii and are now working on the mainland and overseas.

The money contributed by these individuals represents an investment and return to our state by people who carry the aloha spirit across the world.

Kauanoe’s claim is irresponsible because of the damage it does to the public square, where ideas should be debated robustly and on the basis of fact, not on the basis of fears of some unseen enemy.

Kelii Akina
Former OHA candidate

Lost UH money was negligible

I would like to put in perspective the flap over the bogus Stevie Wonder concert.

How much does the loss of $200,000 affect the University of Hawaii finances? According to the state Department of Budget and Finance, the UH-Manoa budget for fiscal 2013 is $384,672,632.

So $200,000 represents just 0.05 percent of the university annual budget.

Thus, the total effect on the University of Hawaii finances is, in fact, negligible.

Robert J. Cence
Kahala

Suu Kyi silent on key issue

Aung San Suu Kyi’s award from Rotary International in Hawaiihas been announced even as minority Rohingya citizens from Myanmar are being forced over the border into Bang-ladesh, in what activist groups have described as "ethnic cleansing."

Suu Kyi has neither condemned nor criticized this persecution of the Muslim population of the Rakhine province, who have lived in Myanmar for generations.

I request Rotary to please seriously reconsider its award for peace being given to Suu Kyi, as she maintains a calculated silence, in order to winvotes in the forthcoming elections, at the cost of ethnic Muslim lives.

These Muslims are Myanmarese citizens and deserve the same basic rights and protection by the Myanmar government as do the other citizens of that country.

Suu Kyi is an icon of democracy,and the world expects her to speak out.Let her do so.

Parveen Cole
Kaneohe

Rail won’t have flexibility of bus

Rail is not the answer for Hawaii. The burden of the cost to the people of Hawaii is too great. The middle class can barely make ends meet.

The rail is not flexible, should a disaster strike. The rail would shut down, whereas the bus would continue to run and would be able to veer from its normal bus route(s) and transport people, supplies, etc., to emergency shelters.

The rail willnot stop right in front of your destination. You will still need to either catch the bus or drive your car to the station, catch the rail, debark from the rail and either catch another bus or walk to your final destination.

Why would we change to rail when we had the best bus transportation system in the nation?

Sandra Saito
Kapahulu

JPAC assures none left behind

Michael P. Rethman’s commentary ("JPAC’s honorable mission no longer worth the cost," Star-Advertiser, Island Voices, Nov. 14) is biased, nonfactual and extremely coldhearted.

Our government lists more than 83,000 Americans as missing and unaccounted for, going back to World War II. If lucky, we’ll recover a third of them, yet Rethman would have the Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command end its mission and extinguish the candle of hope that hundreds of thousands of family members have kept lit for decades.

The "full accounting" mission budget of less than $150 million is miniscule compared to the total defense budget, but the peace of mind it brings to our military and their families is immeasurable.

When you ask — or require — your sons and daughters to serve their nation in uniform, our nation does so on a promise that they will not be left behind.

JPAC fulfills that promise and is worth every penny spent.

John E. Hamilton
St. Augustine, Fla.