Only the lucky severely mentally ill are court-ordered to the Hawaii State Hospital for care and treatment. This has been happening for many years.

Yet this is news to the misinformed union president who represents the fine workers at the hospital. The community has waited years for a secure hospital that protects the patients, staff and neighbors — and that now sits idle.

The union has it backwards: Hawaii’s correctional facilities need to take lessons from Hawaii State Hospital staff on the humane care, treatment and healing — for those among us whose untreated illness has taken over their lives.

Open the new hospital now!

Pauline Arellano

Mililani

Unlock school tracks so public can use them

Regarding the article, “Running has become her sanctuary” (Star-Advertiser, Oct. 26): Running would be a sanctuary for many Hawaii runners like Emily Naylor if the principals at public high schools — such as Kaiser, McKinley and Farrington — didn’t lock out the public from their newly renovated tracks, despite these renovations being funded by taxpayer money.

Steve Connell

Hawaii Kai

Hawaii needs to change policy for global travel

With international travel opening up in Hawaii and Australia shortly, my family in Australia wanted to visit us over the holidays. But after checking requirements for international travelers, they are having second thoughts.

Hawaii requires a mandatory 10-day quarantine for international travelers from all countries, except for vaccinated people from Japan, South Korea, French Polynesia and of course, the mainland. My family is fully vaccinated and they would be entering Hawaii with the federally required negative PCR test in hand. Yet, they would have to quarantine for 10 days.

So we thought we should visit them in Australia, instead. Guess what? The same illogical rule applies to Hawaii residents returning from Australia. Never mind that we are fully vaccinated. Never mind that we will have a negative test.

Time to change this policy, or Hawaiian Airlines and Qantas will need to cancel their flights between Australia and Hawaii. No Aussie tourists will come to Hawaii to quarantine for 10 days.

Shiyana Thenabadu

Kailua

Offshore wind turbines might mar scenic vista

Development of offshore wind turbine energy will certainly help in providing Hawaii’s residents and businesses with electricity that is not dependent on fossil fuels.

However, should an environmental impact study be required, an issue that could arise is the effect it will have on the view of the ocean’s horizon. We may be forever saddled with the sight of turning blades in the foreground of a setting sun. This is certainly not the picture of Hawaii that we know and love.

Moses Akana

Aiea

First responders’ vaccine hesitancy is worrisome

Reading about the relatively large number of vaccine refusers among first responders sends chills down my spine.

As a resident of a large apartment complex dependent upon firefighters, Emergency Medical Service and police for a quick and reliable rescue, I don’t relish the idea of guessing whether my rescuer is carrying the viral load that has a better chance of killing me than fire, illness, accident or assault.

Like other existing health exemptions, vaccine refusal must be added to the current list of reasons a would-be first responder is either physically or mentally unfit for service. As for “religious exemptions,” given that every major religious institution has urged adherents to be vaccinated, one can only assume that these outliers have formed their own “church of noncompliance.”

Perle Besserman

Kakaako

Verifying vaccine waiver seems straightforward

Regarding religious and medical exemptions from COVID-19 immunization: It seems that there should be simple solutions for certifying those who request religious or medical exemptions to being vaccinated for COVID-19.

For religious exemptions, they should present either a letter (on official letterhead) from their clergyman or show proof of having made offerings to their church, synagogue or mosque for the last six months.

For medical exemptions, they should present a letter on their physician’s letterhead explaining why they cannot take the vaccine. Email proof of exemptions can be easily forged and should not be accepted.

Hugh Hazenfield

Hawaii Kai

Taxpayers on the hook for rail snafus, again

Once again, it appears that we the residents of the City and County of Honolulu will foot the bill to fix rail’s deficiencies — when the contractors, Hitachi Rail and the one who installed the tracks should be held accountable and pay for the repairs.

There’s no mention that the city is going after the repairs under warranty or filing liquidated damages against the vendors/contractors — just CEO Lori Kahikina saying that the Honolulu Authority for Rapid Transportation issued a bid and no one responded and it’s undergoing procurement. At whose cost, Ms. Kahikina?

Delwyn Ching

Mililani

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