Don’t muzzle director of Ethics Commission

As a resident, I rely on the executive director of the city Ethics Commission to inform the public about votes by the ethics commissioners on matters concerning graft or misbehavior by elected government officials.

Many do not agree that the director should be gagged from explaining the commission’s actions to the public ("New media policy muzzles members of Ethics Commission," Star-Advertiser, June 25).

University of Hawaii journalism professor Gerald Kato said it right: The public’s right to know should be a high priority.

The director’s job is to investigate complaints of wrong-doings, have commissioners act on them and inform the public of the outcome.

Many suspect this new policy came about because Mayor Kirk Caldwell is unhappy with the director for raising questions on invalidating former City Councilman Nestor Garcia’s votes on rail.

Many of us believe the Ethics Commission is there to provide integrity and openness in government.

If the director did wrong, fire him, but don’t shortchange the public by muzzling him.

Chu Lan Shubert-Kwock
Chinatown

HECO provided PUC more information

To help reduce customer bills, Hawaiian Electric conducted a thorough competitive process to seek low-cost renewable projects.

We carefully screened more than two dozen proposals, and ultimately negotiated contracts for seven projects at unprecedented low pricing — more than 30 percent lower than previous solar projects.

If approved, all savings from these independent projects will be passed on to every Oahu customer.

The state Public Utilities Commission asked for more information.

Our response shows the projects will provide as much as $800 million in savings, more stable pricing, 11 million barrels less oil a year and lower greenhouse-gas emissions by 300,000 tons a year.

Equipped with technical controls to ensure reliable interconnection, these projects still leave room for more rooftop solar.

We will work hard with the help of the selected developers to answer the questions the PUC needs to make a decision. We need diverse projects, including more solar, to help reach our goal of 100 percent renewable energy by 2045.

Shelee Kimura
Vice president, corporate planning and business development Hawaiian Electric Co.

Plastic bags just small part of plastic trash

Most Hawaii folks are, in effect, environmentalists who would do no harm to the beautiful aina or its sea life.

However, the question being asked by many is why were supermarkets singled out and targeted in the plastic bag ban?

The amount of plastic-based items that are exempted from the ban represent a huge percentage of our trash, including the Pacific Garbage Patch.

Most of the trash we encounter while swimming in the Ala Moana Beach lagoon overwhelmingly consists of this exempted trash and not plastic bags.

Paul Perretta
Lower Manoa

Homeless shelter will likely cost a bundle

Last weekend I helped a friend build a pre-fabricated tool shed.

I thought it had enough room for a bunk bed, table, dresser and closet.Add a communal kitchen, bathroom, Internet/cable/electricity, and storage lockers (like a dorm room) and we have a cheap homeless transitional unit.

Cost? Maybe $1,000, plus communal amenities.

What we will get instead is another Hawaii Health Connector and end up paying $500,000 per sheltered homeless person ("Area’s councilman opposes shelter plan at Sand Island," Star-Advertiser, June 3).

Joseph T. Bussen
Kailua

Cuts at UH will put state at disadvantage

The state of Hawaii is in a unique position to benefit from the imminent passage of the Trans-Pacific Partnership trade agreement (TPP) because of our strategic geographical location in the center of the Pacific Basin.

Many international corporations that may have overlooked us before will now consider having a presence here.

In order to meet their needs, we must have a well-trained work force. Recently, however, our state legislators have talked aboutcutting back on funding for the state university system and starving it to death.

This is the exact opposite of what we should be doing, if we are to be ready to take full advantage of the opportunities that the final passage of TPP can bring to our beautiful state.

Edward D. Lasky
Hawaii Kai

FROM THE FORUM

“3 men thrown from truck bed killed in crash on Maui,” Star-Advertiser, June 22:

>>  It’s insane you can impose a seat-belt law but allow people to sit in the back of a pickup traveling up to 55 miles an hour. 

>> People choosing to ride in the back of pickup trucks and the people driving them around are what cause the deaths. Laws can only protect people from their own foolishness so much.

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“Oahu poised to enforce restriction,” Star-Advertiser, June 22:

>> The “eco-hipsters” will find another cause to get behind after their damage is done here. Next they’ll be whining about de-forestation because people are using paper bags instead of dragging around unsanitary reusable bags everywhere they go. They’re not happy unless they are making life more difficult for people who actually work for a living.

>> Where did you get the idea that environmentally conscious people don’t work for a living? We work harder than you do — because in addition to our full-time jobs, we’re willing to do things in a more labor-intensive way, if it will save even one marine creature from choking to death on a bag. The real whiners are the ones who can’t be bothered to remember to bring a cloth bag or furoshiki to the store, and can’t be bothered to throw it in the wash after they use it.

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“Hawaiian Air earns $18.2M on baggage fees,” Star-Advertiser, June 23:

>> With all the money they are getting from baggage fees, I wouldn’t be surprised if they also tack on a charge for people who have just carry-on bags, like some of the other air carriers are doing.

>> Baggage fees came about at a time when airlines needed help to offset the high fuel prices. Now that the price of oil has dropped, why aren’t they giving back to their customers … or end or lower these baggage fees? We need to offer support to the airlines that start dropping these fees.

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“Kenny’s Restaurant set to close,” Star-Advertiser, June 23:

>> I’m sure going to miss the local feel and personality that made Kenny’s so special. Thanks so much for being a part of Hawaii’s culture. Aloha.

>> My mom worked there for many years and I grew up eating Kenny’s food. I wish I could fly back from the mainland to have one last meal there. My husband and I, in our early years of dating, enjoyed many meals there, too. This landmark will be missed.

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“Bad advice from city stalls venture,” Star-Advertiser, June 24:

>> The city should be sued and made to reimburse the Browns. The problem is that we taxpayers will end up paying for it.

>> This guy should have hired an attorney or consultant to research the law before investing in the vehicles. An email from a city inspector is not an approval. Even if he gets an attorney now, he’ll still lose … and this time even more money.

>> These four-wheel LSVs (low-speed vehicles) can not be any less safe than the three-wheel scooter cars or riding around in the back of pickup trucks. I agree that we do not want them running around on the beaches, but on the streets they are no worse than many vehicles out there. I hope the city has a good defense for when they get sued.

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“50 trees down, 1 city permit to go,” Star-Advertiser, June 25:

>> I believe the intent of the law is to protect the exceptional trees. Yeah, Raymond Kang broke the law, but would have received approval to remove rubbish trees anyway. In the end this whole thing sounds like a waste of everyone’s time.

>> People hardly comment when real laws are broken, but when someone cuts down rubbish trees on their own property, they get bent out of shape. People have nothing better to do than to meddle in other people’s business.

>> It’s not OK for anyone to bend or break the rules.

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“Kunia farmers file suit over ownership of land,” Star-Advertiser, June 25:

>> This was, in fact, a securities transaction — selling securities and not real estate. This requires disclosure of things like no title to land being transferred and no financeable interest be transferred. This is a violation of securities laws as well as a fraudulent attempt to circumvent the subdivision laws that ultimate lead to costs to taxpayers.

>> It is so sad when farmers are taken advantage of. They are honest hard workers and believe when they are told something.

>> Are these the same farmers illegally building houses and calling them “equipment sheds”?