‘Connector’ needs to be more open

I have been attending meetings of the Hawaii Health Connector since it was established by the Legislature last year in accordance with the Affordable Care Act.

The Connector is charged with creating an online marketplace where individuals and businesses will be able to shop for and compare health care plans beginning Oct. 1.

Despite the importance of its work (making health insurance accessible to all Hawaii residents) the Connector continues to operate beyond the public’s view, which discourages community input. This is unacceptable. The Legislature erred in allowing big insurance companies to make Connector decisions. Our leaders should not have permitted Connector board members to vote on matters in which they have a clear financial self-interest.

Now questions are emerging: Does the Connector have a plan to remain financially sustainable once its federal operating funds run out in 2015? Will the public be stuck with the bill for operating the Connector after that?

Consumers deserve answers. The Connector Board should be held accountable for acting in the public’s interest.

Barbara J. Service
Kahala

Plant manipulation has long tradition

We get alarmed about plant manipulation via genetic engineering because we know about it. We never got alarmed about plant manipulation via breeding because we didn’t know about it; radiation and chemical blasting has been performed on plant seeds since 1927, according to Stewart Brand, author of “The Whole Earth Discipline.”

Gene splicing started in the ’70s. Scientists were wise to convene the Asilomar Conference in 1975 to thoroughly investigate the potential dangers of the practice. In the 37 years since the conference, recombinant DNA techniques have revolutionized medicine, biology and agriculture without one instance of harm.

The massive dietary experiment has already been completed. Since 1996, America has been consuming genetically engineered food crops and Europeans have done without. There are no detected health differences between either group. GE foods are so thoroughly tested that they are actually safer than untested bred plants like peanuts or kiwi.

Mary Livingston
Waianae

Hilo college needs permanent facility

I write this letter as a concerned Hilo local and a Daniel K. Inouye College of Pharmacy  student.

I was born and raised here in Hilo and have nothing but pride for this town and Hawaii itself.  After a lot of hard work and determination, I am finishing my first year as a pharmacy student.

The college has given Hawaii residents the chance to earn a doctorate in pharmacy while making it more affordable and realistic. But it’s time for reaccreditation, and, with no permanent facilities, we could lose our accreditation.

If accreditation were lost, we would have unaccepted degrees, so all our hard work could go to waste. Unfortunately, the sole cause of this would be the lack of funding for a permanent facility.

Kudos to those who are pushing for the funding for a permanent facility. They’ve done more than we could ask for.

Moani-Lehua Hagiwara
Hilo

Waikiki market site should be protected

I attended a recent gathering at which the International Marketplace in Waikiki became a point of discussion.

As we have read in past editions of your newspaper, there has been talk of shutting it down so a better-paying venue can be built on the site.

One of those present said they had heard, from someone working there, that their lease was limited and they should be prepared to vacate on short notice because the market’s shutdown was near.

Someone else present, from the mainland, was dumbfounded by that statement and asked how they could be allowed to do such a thing when the International Marketplace has been, and should always be, a part of the Waikiki experience.

We all agreed.

If closure is threatened, perhaps it could be forced to remain open as a historic site or be given some sort of landmark designation. Waikiki would never be the same without the International Marketplace as it is today.

Gordon Wolfe
Waikiki

Monthly billing costing us more

Did you know you are now paying an extra $7.02 per month in billing charges?

Yes, the Board of Water Supply is now billing every month instead of every other month and is tacking on the billing charge each month.

This charge, in addition to water and sewer charges, will go up again in July.

More bad news for homeowners, renters and businesses.

Anne Niethamm
Honolulu

How to deal with illegally parked cars

I have a solution to the city’s problem with its towing companies, which seem incapable of following the rules set down for them and consistently add up excessive charges to the owners of the illegally parked vehicles.

Instead of towing vehicles to storage lots, which is what adds considerable cost to the towing charge, illegally parked vehicles should simply be towed to the nearest legal parking spot and a “boot” placed on the vehicle.

The boot would be removed, and the owner advised of the vehicle’s location, once the owner has paid the associated fees, which could be done via a website.

This should result in considerably less cost for the towing company, since it would not have to use storage lots nor incur transportation charges.

After all, the purpose of illegal parking fees is to punish the illegal parker, not to provide a source of cash to the towing companies.

Roger Garrett
Kapahulu