Lifesavers deserve kudos
Lifesavers deserve kudos
About a month ago my wife drove me to the emergency room at the North Kona Hospital with life threatening blood clots in my bladder track. The staff immediately recognized my immediate danger and responded quickly enough to save my life. Before, I was flown to Queens hospital on Oahu, one attendant, Eric, worked tirelessly for three hours to alleviate the danger and my pain. He truly saved my life.
Now, a month later, I am back hiking, bowling and enjoying my Hawaiian ohana with renewed happiness for the great life that we have on the Big Island.
Thanks NKH! We are lucky to have the staff and facilities that you provide for all Hawaiian residents and visitors.
Dan Mcroberts
Naalehu
Give mayor credit where it’s due
I attended the mayoral form at Kealakehe High School recently and I must respond to statements made by former mayor Harry Kim, who said his administration did more for West Hawaii than administrations before and after.
I don’t know about the administration before, but anyone in West Hawaii must admit that more has been done in West Hawaii during the Kenoi administration than all the other administrations combined, including the eight years that Mr. Kim spent in office. Three projects immediately come to mind: Ane Keohokalole Highway, which was paid for by stimulus funds offered by President Obama; Laaloa Avenue, funded and built entirely during the Kenoi administration; and the Mamalahoa bypass, which was funded after Mayor Kenoi made sure the new developers of Hokulia followed through with their commitments.
Before Mr. Kim left office, disenfranchised West Hawaii residents were demanding two counties on the Big Island. Before Mayor Kenoi leaves office, all talk about splitting the county has disappeared. This can be attributed to Kenoi’s insistence that cabinet members spend at least one day a week in West Hawaii, giving West Hawaii residents access to their department heads. On Wednesday night, despite every other candidate saying they would continue Mayor Kenoi’s policy of placing key cabinet members in West Hawaii, Mr. Kim steadfastly refused to commit spending any time in Kona, or even place a single deputy director in West Hawaii.
That night at the forum, a bitter Mr. Kim demanded credit for drawing dotted lines on maps and being responsive to West Hawaii. But it takes more than that to build a road, or unite an island. It takes leadership, something we got in spades during the Kenoi administration. C’mon Mr. Kim. Give credit where it is due.
Mitchell Tam
Kealakekua