Kudos to Rep. Chris Lee for pointing out the disconnect between NextEra’s public relations campaign in Hawaii and its track record in Florida (“If NextEra can’t deliver what public wants, another option is a publicly owned utility,” Star-Advertiser, Island Voices, July 26).

No matter who the owner is, however, the regulated monopoly business model under which Hawaiian Electric Industries operates guarantees a conflict of interest between the demands of shareholders for profits and the needs of ratepayers for affordable energy and environmental stewardship.

There is no reason why HEI’s purchase by the people of Hawaii should not be considered along with other options.

There are more than 250 municipally owned electric utilities in the U.S., including in Austin, Texas; Seattle, Wash., and Sacramento, Calif. — some the most progressive utilities in the country.

In addition, more than 900 electric co-ops (including on Kauai) serve more than 42 million people in markets similar in size to our neighbor islands.

Hawaii has a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to take control of its energy future.

We should take advantage of it while we can.

Alan Ewell
Tantalus

Don’t raise salaries of Cabinet members

I totally disagree with the editorial, “Increase pay for Cabinet members” (Star-Advertiser, Our View, July 30).

We pay too much in taxes already. We are among the highest taxed states in America. Other states do far more with less tax money than our politicians do.

The problem is not lack of money. The problem is how it is wasted.

For example, how on earth can the Honolulu Authority for Rapid Transportation seriously consider giving HART executive director Dan Grabauskas a raise? He goes over budget by nearly a billion dollars before rail has even completed 3 miles. And that’s just one of many examples.

John Wong
Aiea

Rainbow papaya originated at UH

While Dennis Gonsalves, a Hawaii island native and Cornell University scientist, deserves considerable credit (“Local man’s GMO creation saved isles’ papaya industry,” Star-Advertiser, July 28), the Rainbow papaya was actually created at the College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources at the University of Hawaii at Manoa.

Gonsalves had the scientific concept and collaborated with a private company to develop the transgene construct and transformation vectors.

However, Maureen Fitch, a Ph.D. student working in Richard Mans-hardt’s lab at CTAHR, worked out the plant regeneration protocol from papaya tissue cultures.

With this technology, Manshardt did the breeding work that created the Rainbow papaya.

This was very much a team effort in which the College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources played the major role.

I wish to add, for the benefit of the anti-GMO group, that there would be no organic papaya production in Hawaii if it were not for the widespread cultivation of Rainbow, which keeps the virus inoculum at a low enough level to allow for the production of non-Rainbow varieties.

Ken Leonhardt
Professor of Tropical Plant and Soil Sciences, University of Hawaii at Manoa

Political correctness really out of control

“All lives matter.”

A presidential candidate was shouted down for uttering that phrase and later pressured to apologize.

He was not denouncing the mantra “Black lives matter,” that came out of the past incidents involving police and African-Americans. He was simply stating the value of all humanity and human lives.

But our current societal norms dictate that this was unacceptable and he was forced to apologize.

For what?

It is to the point no one can say anything against anyone for fear of retribution, even if it is a simple, “all lives matter.”

The value of humanity and human lives has been marginalized by the political correctness and extreme tolerance that is so demanded in our present-day society.

Such an insensitive and cold world we have become, all in the name of individuality.

James Roller
Mililani

Punish hikers who disobey trespass signs

I’m just tired of hearing about all these hikers who keep disobeying the laws, thereby putting themselves in trouble.

This is in reference to a hiker who needed to be rescued after falling at Hanauma Bay trail. There is a gate and keep-out signs posted, yet people continue to disobey.

It’s time to start punishing these hikers and start enforcing the trespass laws and fines. These hikers need to realize they are taking away valuable resources from the real emergencies, and most of all are putting the emergency responders at risk for their safety.

These types of criminal cases should be simple to prosecute, since it is so obvious that these hikers ignored the warnings and got hurt.

Michael Young
Mililani

FROM THE FORUM

“Bodies of 2 Schofield soldiers recovered from sea” Star-Advertiser, July 27:

>> Fought for our country but lost to Mother Nature. Sympathies go out to the families. People need to heed warning signs.

>> Never underestimate the ocean, especially here, and especially when the waves are up. Hopefully the military command will train enlisted personnel on ocean hazards in Hawaii. Sad.

———

“Gridlock on the West Side” Star-Advertiser, July 27:

>> “The situation grew worse Sunday when repair crews inadvertently damaged a sewer line under the water main.” That seems to be a recurrent problem here in the islands, whether a utility line, sewer pipe, water main line or power line exists. Is the activity being supervised by someone along with diagrams/schematics of the repair efforts prior to digging? Carelessness causes additional work, which leads to the taxpayer funding the excesses.

>> The state’s Highways Division has to be prepared. Remember the Zip lane mess?

———

“Taking the team approach” Star-Advertiser, July 28:

>> What we need is something besides forming more committees. They are all talk and no action. I will not be surprised if they are having the same conversation a year from now. We need to get Sand Island underway; also, stop allowing more people into our state who do not have employment.

>> Don’t forget that the people in the picture have all been in power for many years now: Kirk Caldwell, David Ige and Jill Tokuda. Why is it being addressed only now?

>> This is no longer a socio-economic issue; it is now a public health and safety issue, not only in Kakaako, but all over the island and state. Once public health and safety have been threatened, a true leadership team should focus on eradication more than compassion.

———

“Boston’s ‘new’ Victorino has some big shoes to fill” Star-Advertiser, July 28:

>> Good move for Shane Victorino. Better climate and closer to home.

>> Not to mention the Angels are one of the few MLB teams that have free TV in Hawaii.

———

“Matson will pay $15.4M in molasses spill settlement” Star-Advertiser, July 30:

>> Matson will one way or another get its money back, and then some, from all of us. The people of Hawaii are always the loser in these cases.

>> I suspect that it is like the fines on oil companies when they pollute. In the final analysis, it’s just petty cash to continue operating.

>> At first I thought this was great news. Then, after contemplation, in the end the people of Hawaii will be paying for this. Suing a monopoly that has a stranglehold on an island makes no sense at all.

———

“Expert hired to gauge ‘big picture’ of rail” Star-Advertiser, July 30:

>> We have seen the big picture of rail and we are thoroughly depressed. We don’t need a big salary to know the obvious.

>> This whole project has lost credibility and they are not going to get it back hiring this new guy for $95,000 a year.

>> Just call it The Gravy Train.

———

“Health Department purchasing slammed” Star-Advertiser, July 31:

>> Not to worry. No one is losing their job. After all, it’s only taxpayer money.

>> Someone will get a big pay increase. And maybe a bonus.

———

“New shelter rules would be less strict” Star-Advertiser, July 31:

>> This is a major movement in the right direction. People have a need for privacy. It’s a reality of interpersonal relations. Families and couples need to have some level of privacy or they will move back to their tents.

>> Don’t forget the valet, concierge, and five-star menu with rotating celebrity chefs to keep the free food selection from getting too boring.