Native Hawaiian program is awarded $50K
Kamehameha Schools is funding a new Kapiolani Community College program designed to encourage Native Hawaiians to become interested in fields involving science and technology.
The community college says first-year college students will research and compare the active ingredients of Hawaiian medicinal plants as part of the program. Students will use their knowledge of chemistry to study the potential healing properties of traditional medicinal plants.
The University of Hawaii Foundation said Friday that Kamehameha Schools is awarding the community college $50,000 for the program.
Keolani Noa of KCC says the program will help students enhance their knowledge of Hawaiian culture and science. She says it will help them link traditional Hawaiian practices to contemporary science.
Participating students will have opportunities to work alongside experts in ethnobotany and chemistry.
Maui candidates address hospital financing issue
WAILUKU » Maui state Senate candidates are debating how to help local public hospitals amid news the Maui Memorial Medical Center will shut down its adolescent behavioral health unit to save money.
Political newcomer Terez Amato said she would support working with local private hospitals but opposes selling Maui hospitals to mainland companies, the Maui News reported Monday. Amato is challenging incumbent state Sen. Roz Baker for the Democratic nomination to represent South and West Maui.
"The absolute wrong thing to do is to sell Maui’s hospitals to mainland corporations who have no experience providing health care here or providing a commitment to the people of Maui," Amato said.
Baker said she agrees that working with local hospitals would be more "comfortable."
But she said the state shouldn’t rule out mainland care providers with the capital and technology needed to keep Maui Memorial competitive.
"I want the best deal we can get for Maui, whether it’s a local company or somebody else," Baker said.
Measures that would have allowed Maui Memorial to enter into a public-private partnership died in committee during the past two legislative sessions.
Baker said there are "very good" nonprofit mainland medical care providers who might be interested. But she said a framework needs to be in place for partnerships to develop. She said the public-private partnership measures died at the Legislature because "many of our Oahu colleagues may not understand why we can’t just come to Honolulu for care."
