Name on ballot:

Craig Bo Kahui

Running for:

Hawaii county council – District 8

Political party:

Democrat

Campaign website:

www.bokahui.com

Current occupation:

Business Administration

Age:

66

Previous job history:

The last15 years I served as President/ Executive Director for community based nonprifit organization
7 years State Court Bailiff, Third Circuit Court.

Previous elected office, if any:

None

Please describe your qualifications to represent the people of Hawaii.

I’m a Graduate from UH Manoa, a Navy Veteran, and I have extensive experience in commuity based and program development. I have a strong commitment to team building and I take serious and understand financial and fiscal accountability. I spent numerous years in community facilities development and understand the State & County processes for enviromental and building permitting, and building codes. I’ve served on numerous community Boards and served as Commissioner on several County Commissions. I’m qualified for serving as County Council member.I draw on my community based development experience that qualifies me to serve as County Councilman.

What will be your top priority if elected?

I’m seeking this office because I want to address the issues related to the new normal related to the threat of the Corvid Virus pandemic. Streanthening the economy is important and my priority. New and unprecedented public policy by the State and County municipalities require strong leadership. The urgency to go back to work must be tempered with protective policy measures to ensure our communities across the State are protected and, that the State does not retract and get pulled back to the initial invasion to the deadly corvid virus attack in February 2020.
Streantheing the Community through the alignment numerous community and private partners to address social and educational infrastructure health safety measures as we plan to to open schools, community facilities and institutions.
Streanthening the Ohana by collectivly working together in all communities across Hawaii Island to keep our Kupuna and keikis safe amid this pandemic. A community-wide comprehensive network to share food safe area distribution systems and related covid health testing and screening networks is paramount.
Thus, Streanthening the Economy, Streanthening the Community, and Streanthening the Ohana are my priority

As Hawaii faces the COVID-19 pandemic, what more should county government do to protect residents’ health?

County can develop a compehensive contact tracing program. Seek funding for more testing; Impose reasonable health protective measures to ensure the public and more importantly first responders are protected. Develop State, County and public partnership to address the pandemic instituting public-private partnership for health policy decisions.

What should county government do to help residents who have been economically affected by the pandemic?

The current economic decline, devestating high employment, and declining State/County revenues requires the county government to be innovative in developing socio-economic strategies to assist thoses econnomically disadvantaged by the pandemic. The challenges for the new County Council will be to affectively deploy new small business and community-based stratigies to meet the State energy security and food security. The Creation of small agri-business programs and re-investment incentives to impoverish farmers could attract new wave of farming workforce to address the State & County food security goals. Likewise, and innovative socio-economic new business and community based strategies for renewable engergy could help jump start the economy, but it would also impact the economically disavantaged by increasing sustainable renewable energy producers while helping to reduce energy cost to the disavantaged.

Do you support or oppose the construction of the Thirty Meter Telescope on the Big Island and what should the county government’s role be in the process?



I have no comment on this issue. The Maunakea issue has divided our communities and more dialouge is needed between the parties.

Do you support reforms to policing in Hawaii? If yes, please explain what reforms you support.

Yes, Specific reforms on training and arresting individuals; Require body cam on all arrests; Establish an Independant investigating commission on Police matters related to deaths in the commission of an arrest or of a dangerouse vehicel pursuit.

Is there anything more that you would like voters to know about you?

Not at this time