“This is an imperfect scenario by imperfect people, but what we all have in common is our aloha for Hawaii. We need to hold on to this decision to reopen our visitor industry and support one another.”
— John De Fries, CEO of the Hawaii Tourism Authority
It is fitting and proper for our first Native Hawaiian tourism leader to call for mutual support as we reopen our islands to visitors. Laulima, working together, is a core value of our host culture. Our leaders are imperfect (as we all are), but they need our support and cooperation if we are to succeed. With no blueprint for containing a global pandemic in an interconnected world, they are doing their best as guided by aloha for Hawaii.
The choice between economic or public health is a false dichotomy. We need both.
The economy can’t function without healthy people and people can’t be healthy without a functioning economy. The fastest way to rekindle our economy is to welcome visitors back to Hawaii.
Other island destinations have reopened to tourism with pre-flight COVID testing programs — Tahiti, Bermuda, the Cayman Islands — in addition to the U.S.’s only other disconnected state, Alaska. The people of Hawaii would be wise to learn from their experiences.
Each destination found the rate of coronavirus infection in pre-tested visitors was consistently low — less than 2%. However, once tourism relaunched, infection rates spiked dramatically, primarily through community spread. Residents mistakenly believed life was “returning to normal,” so mask-wearing, frequent handwashing, not gathering in groups and physical distancing fell by the wayside. As the world’s most isolated destination, we can’t afford to make these same mistakes.
Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, recently spoke with Lt. Gov. Josh Green and warned us that no matter what we do, some infected people will slip through the cracks. But he also said that Hawaii should be able to handle it if we pay attention to preventative measures.
Dr. Robert Redfield, director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, recently testified before a U.S. Senate subcommittee that wearing face masks may be more effective at protecting against COVID-19 than a vaccine. So, until there is an approved vaccine, wear a mask when with others, and follow all public health guidelines. This is the embodiment of laulima and living aloha.
To save our beloved islands (and ourselves), we must acknowledge and accept our interdependence. To quote a popular bumper sticker, “This Ain’t the Mainland.” Either we all cooperate or we all suffer.
Here in Hawaii Nei, there is no place for anyone to assert their “individual rights” by ignoring public health guidelines and placing others at risk. This applies to both residents and visitors. It is our collective responsibility to protect one another by speaking up when necessary.
Fear and anxiety are understandable now that visitors are returning, but residents are much better served by knowing the true danger comes from within.
Teri Freitas Gorman is a Kula resident and immediate past president of the Maui Native Hawaiian Chamber of Commerce.
