Suspension of the public records and open meeting laws, made worse because they were instituted before the stay-at-home order, is disgraceful — especially now, in this life-and-death crisis when people are scared and need, want and are entitled to information that directly affects their physical health and emotional well-being (“Ige suspends public meetings and records laws as part of response,” Star-Advertiser, March 17).

The decision to suspend these laws supports a conclusion that public participation in government is not desirable in Hawaii. It also supports a conclusion that as fear and anxiety spread through our community, little is being done to help ease the emotional aspects of surviving the crisis.

Suspending public records and meeting laws tells us the governor is either unaware that many of us are scared and anxious, or that he doesn’t care.

Bob Kern

Makiki

Darkness in government is not ‘the right way’

Gov. David Ige has suspended the Sunshine Law that gives the public access to the activities of our leaders.

This is the kind of wrong thing that led our country into the COVID-19 disaster we’re in right now. People need and demand the right to know what our leaders are doing in committees where policy is quietly formed. When Ige was running for office, he emphasized “doing the right thing — the right way.”

Darkness and hidden agendas are not the right thing, and blowing out our Sunshine Law at this critical time is not the right way.

John Shockley

Free Access Coalition

Companies should use shopping schedules

Hawaii state epidemiologist Dr. Sarah Park and others have talked about the danger of the huge numbers of people who line up at Costco and Sam’s Club every day.

I just saw a recent photo of the lines snaking back and forth across the parking lot — shades of Disneyland. The people are definitely not six feet apart from each other.

Why don’t the companies designate days of the week to people, based on the first letter of their last names? Schools and other groups do this kind of thing to avoid masses of people for registration and other events.

The government should mandate that companies do this as another method to slow the spread of the virus in our community.

In years gone by, during the gas shortage, government mandated the days you could fill up your car based on whether you had an odd or even license plate.

Mahalo to everyone for doing their part to get us through this scary time.

Donna Maeda

Pearl City

Wearing gloves to store won’t protect from virus

I’m disgusted to see the way people, particularly those wearing gloves, rifle through the fresh produce in our markets. Bare hands might not be too much better, but I have more trust that bare-handed shoppers are more cautious and are likely adhering to frequent hand-washing recommendations than those who are gloved.

I have never seen anyone wearing gloves, even in the restrooms, change or even just wash their gloves. Those gloves are touching everything: door handles, bathrooms, money.

Of course we all thoroughly wash our fresh produce, but try scrubbing a head of lettuce. Those wearing gloves will be ingesting the same filth as the rest of us in their salads and sandwiches.

Charlene Smith

Kailua

Hope favorite columns will return to paper

I wanted to thank the Star- Advertiser for all the information it has since Day 1 on COVID-19, before it even had a name. It has helped my family make good decisions in this very chaotic, volatile time.

It is with sadness I read that certain columns will no longer be running (“Show Biz” and “Hawaii’s Backyard”). While I understand the necessity of prioritizing and condensing the news, I hope that the Star-Advertiser will be able to bring back enjoyable columns when this crisis is over.

Jan Gibson

Aiea

Rousting from park lacks common sense

I was sitting in Crane Community Park with my dog, water bottle and newspaper. (By the way, it looks like a park these days. The homeless moved to the sidewalks.)

We’ve been going many years. The security guard approached and said I had to leave. I wasn’t anywhere close to people. I’m closer to people when I’m at home. Can we use some common sense here?

Charisse Perry

Kaimuki

Allow Green to serve as pandemic spokesman

What’s needed today is accurate, clear and credible scientific-based reporting on the COVID-19 pandemic.

As a medical doctor who has earned the respect of the community for his forthright assessments and recommendations on the pandemic, Lt. Gov. Josh Green eminently meets that standard.

His earlier work during the unfolding of the Maunakea nonviolent protest movement demonstrated also his compassion and commitment to fairness.

Gov. David Ige would be wise to let our lieutenant governor be the state’s spokesperson on the rapidly evolving and alarming realities of the pandemic.

Wally Fukunaga

Makiki

KINDNESS GOING VIRAL

Even in these days overshadowed by the coronavirus, bright spots exist. If you see kindness or positivity going on, share it with our readers via a 150-word letter to the editor; email it to letters@staradvertiser.com. We’ll be running some of these uplifting letters occasionally to help keep spirits up, as we hunker down. We are all in this together.

EXPRESS YOURSELF

The Honolulu Star-Advertiser welcomes all opinions. Want your voice to be heard? Submit a letter to the editor.

>> Write us: We welcome letters up to 150 words, and guest columns of 500-600 words. We reserve the right to edit for clarity and length. Include your name, address and daytime phone number.

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