Letters | 4-5-15

Legislators fail farmers and growers again

The front page article in the March 28 issue of West Hawaii Today on HB 1051 currently going through the Legislature, designating a system of identifying and labeling crops as Hawaii grown, was distressing.

Once again legislators failed to do the right thing by excluding Kona coffee and macadamia nuts from being designated as 100 percent Hawaii grown.

Kona coffee is arguably the iconic Hawaiian brand having nearly a 200-year history of sustaining generations of coffee farmers in Kona. Macadamia nuts also have had a long history with the first commercial farm anywhere in the world being planted in Hawaii in 1922. The reason for this is not a mystery. As the saying goes, just follow the money.

The companies that sell Kona coffee blends and “Hawaiian Macadamia Nuts” through deception have deep pockets and easily manipulate the Oahu legislators to vote against the best interests of the state and Kona coffee farmers and macadamia nut growers.

Bob Smith

Kona coffee farmer

Honaunau

Unintended consequences of 9 speed humps on Nani Kailua Drive

In recent letters to West Hawaii Today, both Barbara Scott on March 25 and Susan Garrod on March 28 made it clear that Nani Kailua Drive is a “collector road” and doesn’t qualify for speed humps. Why the petition hasn’t been pulled yet is baffling but since we continue to have this discussion, I want to touch on a few of the problems that occur in areas where speed humps have been placed.

Straight from the National Motorists Association (and me) here are some unintended consequences that speed humps create:

• Fire at your house? Well, the fire truck will eventually arrive after it makes a complete stop at each hump. Time lost at each hump will be 15 to 30 seconds. Sit tight, help will arrive — later.

• Relative having a heart attack? The ambulance will be there — later.

• Does your youngster have skates, a skateboard or a bicycle? Speed humps attract kids. It’s fun to jump those humps. The ambulance will be there — later.

• What about when you try to sell your house? Did the speed hump salesman tell you that not too many individuals want to buy a house with a hump in front of it?

• What do you think will happen to the suspension, brakes and exhaust systems on your nice car at normal, legal speeds when you cross those humps at least twice a day? Ouch. And what about your wallet? Ouch.

• Have you noticed that some of your neighbors aren’t so friendly anymore? Speed humps often create neighborhood friction. We are already seeing with some of the comments flying. Oh, and down the road, don’t be surprised if you get some unfriendly “honks” each time one of those annoyed neighbors cross a hump. Just ask those living on Royal Poinciana Drive.

• Have you noticed a rash of burglaries in your neighborhood? Seems that crime increases in areas where speed humps have been installed. Why? “Rubber-necking.” Who would’ve known? Again, just check with those living on Kupuna Street and Royal Poinciana Drive.

• Any way you look at them, humps are a major nuisance, and drivers may indeed avoid them so that traffic increases on neighboring streets. In any case, even if you’re the only one left driving on your street, you’ll have the pleasure of bounding over those humps every day, again and again and again.

There is nothing light or funny about this matter, that’s for sure. All of these potential unintended consequences are real. So before you sign, support and/or ignore the issue as someone else’s problem, I hope everyone thinks long and hard about how nine speed humps — or simply one or two — will affect the safety and well-being of the entire neighborhood.

Cheryl Shrum

Kona

Speak up about NextEra-HEI merger

The mission statements of many multibillion dollar corporations often read that customer satisfaction is their goal, however, profit motive is rarely if ever mentioned. In reality, their statement should read something like “Our goal is to become filthy rich doing something you probably don’t need or want, but our marketing department will do such a slick job of convincing you that you can’t live without our product(s) and or service(s), that you will rush to pay top dollar for whatever we do!”

Why do big corporations come to Hawaii? Largely because the state government tends to cater more to corporate interests than attending the needs of their electorate. You don’t have to look any farther back than Acts 55, 97 and the recent Department of Land and Natural Resources nominations. There is also the reputation of not making waves.

A company named NextEra Energy from Juno Beach, Fla., wants to be our green power monopoly, but many do not want another monopoly of any brand. PR teams from NextEra will be traveling around the state to butter us up to make us believe they are great, grand and wonderful, and we have to be prepared to meet them in large numbers.

Residents of Hawaii, Maui and Honolulu counties deserve a genuine public utility and not just another private for-profit corporation — this time gussied up in a green suit.

Hawaii County meetings on this issue are scheduled from 5 to 8 p.m. April 13 at the Hilo and Pahoa High Schools safeterias and April 14 at the Kealakehe High School cafeteria and the Hawaii Prepartory Academy village campus dining hall in Waimea. Residents should attend.

Dave Kisor

Pahoa