Letters: Homeless suffer under shadow of luxury condos; Coordinator can help fight crime in Waikiki; Limit access to waters of Papahanaumokuakea

Every time it rains, and now it is winter, we may see see more of the blessed wetness. Then I think of those living on the streets here and in many other cities — to them it is only wetness and not blessed.

I think of them because I am lucky to have a roof over my head and a front door. I wish they had a roof and a front door also, especially families with children.

I saw on the news that soon in Kakaako on Ward Avenue we will see another Howard Hughes luxury development rise up. I am compelled to ask: Why, with so many people living on the streets, this city needs another luxury development, especially a Hughes development? This company will build what it will build and return to the mainland, never giving a glance at those on the streets without a roof over their heads or a front door.

Of course it will christen its project with an unpronounceable Hawaiian- sounding name — forgetting how to live pono or the true meaning of aloha.

Daci Armstrong

Kakaako

Government values wrong kind of info

In her review of Gail Y. Okawa’s new book, “Remembering Our Grandfathers’ Exile: U.S. Imprisonment of Hawai‘i’s Japanese in World War II,” Beverly Deepe Keever pointed out the connection made by Okawa between the gathering of information by the U.S. Census Bureau during World War II, which was used to identify and round up Japanese immigrants in Hawaii, and the modern collection of personal data by the U.S. government in the wake of 9/11 (“‘The Other Pearl Harbor’ of data and seizure reverberates in today’s surveillance capitalism,” Star-Advertiser, Island Voices, Dec. 5).

I couldn’t help but make a connection of my own between Keever’s review and an adjacent article by Charles Gillman, “Historic info at Pearl Harbor memorial deserves accuracy.” Gillman detailed some of the historical errors made by the National Park Service in its displays at the Pearl Harbor National Memorial and justifiably bemoaned the department’s lack of interest in correcting the errors that he himself had pointed out to them.

Evidently, our private information is prized no matter how petty and personal it may be, but important historical information that may help us avoid the mistakes of the past is ignored.

Welcome to the modern surveillance state!

Edward D. Lasky

Hawaii Kai

Coordinator can help fight crime in Waikiki

Waikiki, the crown jewel of Hawaii, currently is on a downward spiral and soon will become a second-rate destination unless action is taken now. Apparently, city Prosecutor Steve Alm has decided not to create a “Weed and Seed” program in Waikiki and clean out the criminal infestation.

A suggestion: The City Council should fund a “law enforcement coordinator” position. The coordinator would work with local businesses and resident organizations to focus on all issues in the district and report to them, the Council and mayor with honest evaluations and solutions.

Dave Moskowitz

Waikiki

Limit access to waters of Papahanaumokuakea

This is in response to your editorial regarding the proposed Papahanau- mokuakea National Marine Sanctuary (“More protection for Papahanaumo- kuakea,” Star-Advertiser, Our View, Dec. 6).

We agree that such a sanctuary would add an important layer of protection, especially from the risk of a future president repealing the monument designations. The extra protection would only be achieved, however, by creation of a National Marine Sanctuary with protections equal to or greater than those afforded by the current monuments.

This is possible, by using the Prohibited Activities provisions of the National Marine Sanctuary Act to designate the waters of Papahanaumokuakea as a limited-access area requiring a permit having the same restrictions as those of the monuments.

Dave Raney

Senior adviser, Sierra Club Marine Team

Kahala

Politicians took too long to address Red Hill tanks

Why did it take an actual pollution event to make Gov. David Ige, Mayor Rick Blangiardi and our congressional delegation respond seriously to the threat of the Navy’s fuel tanks, perched above Oahu’s treasured and unique source of drinking water?

As Board of Water Supply Manager Ernie Lau recently stated, his office has been expressing its concern for the situation since the big leak of 2014. Seven years. To no avail.

The business of the BWS is to deliver fresh water (some of the highest quality in the world, from an unmatched aquifer) to the people of this island. They are the experts, and have been at this for nearly 100 years. Why were the thousands of concerned Oahu citizens and Lau ignored by these politicians?

U.S. Rep. Kai Kahele now “demands answers” from the Navy. It’s not about answers, congressman, it’s about a single question: What took you so long?

Kevin O’Leary

Kalihi Valley

Navy must be forced to relocate fuel storage

After multiple leaks and spills, the Navy has finally contamined the water for Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam housing. Imagine how much worse it would be if the aquifer was contaminated. It seems to be a matter of when, not if. And especially since the Navy doesn’t seem willing to be forthcoming about the issues, it’s time for our legislators to force them to move the fuel storage to a location that doesn’t put the drinking water for 400,000 people at risk.

Shari Sprague

Manoa Valley

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