Act early to help the mentally ill

Thanks to Richard Meyer for his enlightening commentary on mental health services and crime ("Paying a heavy price," Star-Advertiser, Dec. 19). He raised many important points to which I personally can relate.

When an 8-year-old is hearing voices and he doesn’t know what’s happening to him, we as a society have not done our jobs educating or diagnosing our children, or ourselves. Individuals with a mental illness have it through no fault of their own, and they are given a life sentence — of paranoia, delusions, voices and the stiff arm of society.

My hope is that we start paying more attention to children and educating their parents. We need to diagnose early and begin treatments that may, in turn, help save lives — the lives of innocent victims, and the lives of the mentally ill themselves.

Cancer kills one at a time; mental illness can kill 28 innocent people, as we sadly know now.

Candas Lee Rego
Kailua

Hawaii delegation will serve us well

With Brian Schatz appointed to replace our late U.S. Sen. Daniel Inouye in the U.S. Senate, Hawaii’s congressional delegation is well-rounded, diverse, competent and energized to represent Hawaii and the nation during President Barack Obama’s term and beyond.

Schatz, U.S. Sen. Mazie Hirono and U.S. Reps. Colleen Hanabusa and Tulsi Gabbard are role models for our millennial emerging leaders to build a healthy, equitable, civil and compassionate society for all. We are in good hands.

Charlene Cuaresma
Kailua

Inouye took time to help constituent

Daniel K. Inouye has a special place in my heart.

Back in 1966, I wrote to many dignitaries why my mother at 65 years old was not receiving her Social Security dependent benefit checks. But to no avail. This went on for two years.

I came across Sen. Inouye’s address and wrote to him about my mom’s problem: She was a citizen of the Philippines, that she lived on Kauai with her husband and seven children. When Papa retired in 1957 they decided to return to the Philippines to live permanently — since all the children were married.

In two weeks, the senator replied my mama was going to receive $90 a month and a back pay of $2,160. I thanked him. When mama received the money and her monthly checks, I cried. No one else would help me except Daniel K. Inouye. My heart goes out to you, sir, in heaven.

Alvina Klosek
University

Schatz appointment meant as a message

I didn’t even have to watch the news to know whom the governor was going to pick to fill the late U.S. Sen. Daniel Inouye’s seat.

Gov. Neil Abercrombie claims he took everything into consideration, but he was just sending a message about who is the boss.

Larry Tamashiro
Downtown Honolulu

Oceanic Cable has lock on the market

There are a number of reasons we need to give access to other cable television companies in Hawaii. One could argue that Oceanic Time Warner has competition in Direct TV, but Direct TV cannot receive a signal in all areas of Oahu.

First, channels originally offered on basic cable just disappear sometimes. Since I have been using basic cable on Oahu, I have lost The Weather Channel, Biography Channel, ESPN News, and CNBC. Those are channels I once had that I viewed on occasion and therefore missed.

Second, a couple of months ago, my cable internet access went up $3.95 a month because they decided I now must pay monthly rent on my modem. There was no notice prior to the charge, but at least they listed it on my bill.

Third, without notice, my bill increased this month by $5.60.

There must be some agency in Hawaii that can enforce some kind of regulations on Oceanic Time Warner until the cables on the islands can be opened up to competition.

Ralph Broomhead
Mililani

Oshiro right about staying clear of GOP

It is amazing that Jamie Samoson is disappointed that Rep. Marcus Oshiro is not willing to work with Republicans on the speakership ("Oshiro wrong to avoid GOP," Star-Advertiser, Letters, Dec. 21).

Apparently Samoson is not aware of the attempts by the U.S. congressional Republicans to not help the Democrats and actually thwart any solution to solve the fiscal cliff and keep President Barack Obama from helping the American people. Republicans even refused their own speaker, U.S. Rep. John Boehner.

Paul Fung
Nuuanu

Legislature must not kick can down road

As rapidly as possible, the Legislature should resolve all of the administrative issues it faces, then prioritize the remaining issues by importance and urgency, and not address issues of lesser importance or urgency until the more important ones are resolved.

Don’t "kick the can down the road" as our representatives in Washington have done. Legislators should make the tough decisions they were elected and are paid to make.

To this lifetime resident, the most important issues are:

» A sustainable, accounting-gimmick-free budget forecast for the next decade.

» Addressing our deteriorating infrastructure (primarily roads, bridges, tunnels and sewers).

» Planning to accommodate the effects of climate change.

» Ensuring an adequate potable water supply, especially in light of the lands being taken from agriculture for housing, and anticipating higher temperatures and reduced rainfall as temperatures continue to rise.

Gerrit Osborne
Waialae Iki