David Shapiro: Police and tourism communicators trip over their tongues

In these politically conflicted times, folks are constantly on the lookout for reasons to be suspicious of government.

And our local leaders have an unnatural knack for giving reasons aplenty — often because of communicators who check their brains at the door.

Two glaring examples last week were yet another unnecessary gaffe by police officials in installing Arthur “Joe” Logan as chief, and the Hawaii Tourism Authority’s clumsy maneuvers in awarding a lucrative marketing contract.

When Logan hadn’t been sworn in three weeks after his appointment by the Police Commission — and the commission was closed-mouthed about it — suspicions began that there was a hitch because of revelations of his son’s criminal record.

Then, last week, he and his deputies were hastily sworn in at a private ceremony of which the mayor, the public and the media weren’t informed, raising even more suspicions as secrecy always does.

The department said Logan was needed to preside over a graduating recruit class that night. Commission Chair Shannon Alivado said that after delays caused by the paperwork needed for Logan to begin city employment, there was simply a desire to get the new chief on the job without further delay, with a formal public swearing-in set for June 29.

All of that may have been true, and it wouldn’t have been a problem if they’d simply announced what they were doing in advance — living up to their promises of transparency for a change — instead of springing it by surprise on an always suspicious public.

Now, because of what the police union called “all too familiar bureaucratic bumbling,” the challenges Logan already faced in winning over skeptics have only grown.

The Hawaii Tourism Authority, meantime, rescinded a $34 million U.S. marketing contract it had awarded its longtime partner, the Hawaii Visitors and Convention Bureau, and gave it instead to the Council for Native Hawaiian Advancement, a nonprofit community development group with no experience in tourism marketing.

Neither HTA nor Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism Director Mike McCartney have commented, hiding behind supposed confidentiality requirements of state procurement laws.

After all the machinations in the Legislature to defund and reorganize HTA, and the tourism agency’s struggles to redefine its mission as Hawaii tourism grows beyond our carrying capacity, this procurement reeks of politics and ineptitude — especially after the Honolulu Star-Advertiser reported that tourism leaders CNHA said would be part of its transition team never agreed to participate.

If the law really bars McCartney and the HTA from commenting on the mess, they need to end this flawed procurement so they can explain themselves to the public and the industry that anchors our economy.

A new procurement for the marketing contract should occur only after there’s clear understanding of HTA’s mission and the marketing goal.

If we can’t do better than this botched process, perhaps we should listen to those who say we don’t need to spend millions on tourism marketing when we already have more visitors than our communities and resources can handle.

Reach David Shapiro at volcanicash@gmail.com.