I just walked around Keeaumoku and King streets, just a two-block area. What a mess. Leftover food, paper bags, plates, push carts from nearby stores. People in all kinds of dress, and exhibiting all kinds of behavior. Stink and a mess. People calling out to whatever. Many of these people are in obvious need of help, many in need of mental help.
And what do we offer them? Well, we have a 144-bed building in Kaneohe that is brand new. But we can’t help these people right now, since there is a “conflict” between the state Department of Health and the Hawaii Government Employees Association.Why wasn’t this addressed from the beginning? The hospital wasn’t just put up last week.
This is not acceptable. This is not pono. Between government and the union, cut it out and resolve this problem. Now!
F.M. Scotty Anderson
Waialae Nui
Hawaii’s solid situation should allow reopenings
Do not take the foot off the pressure pedal regarding the governor and the state’s crowd restrictions at professionally managed events. The previous “loosening” of restrictions was like giving crumbs to a starving mouth.
The data does not justify why Hawaii remains so behind the curve as we see the rest of the country “live” with the pandemic, versus staying in a bubble in a constant “wait and see” approach.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention director says that COVID-19 cases rise among the unvaccinated. Professional events are controlled and limited to a vaccinated, or negative test, population.
Hawaii has a low positivity rate, high percentage of people vaccinated, and low numbers in hospitals.
We need to live with this pandemic, not in fear of it. We should be ahead of, or moving with, the rest of the country with best practices, to allow all of us to move on and enjoy life again.
David Kawada
Niu Valley
Enlist Kokonut Koalition: On time, under budget
Want to finish rail early and under budget? Just ask the Kokonut Koalition — these remarkable people hand-built the trail up Koko Head. That’s a thousand-foot incline in a third of the time the city had proposed, and they did at a third of the cost.
How about we turn over our diseased rail project to the public? It’s time for a vote to continue this boondoggle or shut it down.
Have the Kokonut Koalition show us how a job should really be done: on time and under budget.
Bill Thomas
Kalama Valley
State keeps moving COVID-19 goal posts
Now the goal for Hawaii is to keep COVID-19 “cases” under 100 per day. The last goal of “70% of the population vaccinated” has been achieved, but will not result in any change in mandates because the goal posts have been moved — again.
The governor on Monday said:
>> The Safe Travels program will continue as long as there are people traveling who are not vaccinated. What is the guideline for ending this program? Will travelers arriving in 2025 still be subject to these requirements?
>> He is considering incorporating booster shots and antigen tests into Safe Travels. Apparently, travelers will soon be required to have a booster shot before entering Hawaii.
How does the governor’s last emergency proclamation provide authority to set goals that would take effect on Jan. 1, 2022? This date is more than 60 days beyond the effective date of the emergency proclamation.
Mark Monoscalco
Ala Moana
Let’s be united to fight, and beat, COVID-19
Living in America gives citizens rights, liberties and freedom like nowhere else in the world. Individualism reigns.
The downside is that we forget the power of being together on issues that require thinking on a national scale. There’s synergy in working together as a whole.
COVID-19 is such an issue. Our mantra could be, “Let’s beat COVID!”
Let’s be united, as the name of our country implies.
Marian Leong
Manoa
Protest at workplaces, not at people’s homes
If protesters have issues with people in government or other jobs, protest at their place of work, not where they live. Aren’t there supposed to be permits issued to have marches? Where has civility gone? This is harassment, not protesting.
The attitude of the people who think they have the right to disturb residential neighborhoods and people’s families makes me automatically reject whatever they are advocating for.
Drew Matsumoto
Palolo
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