Not a good idea to put prison on Kahoolawe
Turning Kahoolawe into a prison complex, what a great idea. Private prisons are very profitable businesses and would add many jobs for Maui residents. I’m sure the residents of Kihei wouldn’t mind the new harbor to handle the marine traffic that would be needed to handle prison workers and supplies. They could enjoy the new view of the island with it’s new buildings and barbed wire fences. The tourists will flock to Kihei for this new attraction.
We can increase penalties such as 10-year sentences for say a gram of marijuana, this will ensure occupancy, which ensures profit, after all that’s why we have private prisons.
The residents of Kihei will sleep soundly at night knowing they are protected by the ocean surrounding Kahoolawe. Oh ya, I forgot, the water is warm and a good swimmer can swim to Kahoolawe.
On second thought, maybe this is not such a good idea for Kahoolawe. I think a better place for a major prison complex would be a state with lots of open space like Kansas and as a reward for such a good plan, Mr. Lono could be given the position of warden for this new state prison in Kansas.
Paul Santos
Ocean View
Concessions add fuel to fire
Unfortunately, the TMT protesters see the world through a very narrow lens. It is no wonder they cannot appreciate the wide lens of the universe that the TMT will make possible.
State Sen. Kai Kahele’s request for a “cooling off period” plays completely into the hands of these law-breakers. Their banner— “WE WILL NEVER GIVE UP TMT WILL NOT BE BUILT” says it all. Every concession that has been granted to them just adds fuel to their fire. They are seemingly incapable of hearing the other side and/or reaching any kind of consensus or compromise.
They have already defied the will of the vast majority of the people of Hawaii, have run up millions of dollars of expenses to the TMT consortium, to the taxpayers of Hawaii, to the other telescopes and their sponsors, and now to tour operators on the mountain. They have even bragged that this is going to cost all of the stakeholders much, much more. They’ve had their say in court and they’ve won some concessions. But the law of the land ruled against them.
Now it is time to enforce the court orders and to listen to the will of the majority and open the road to the building contractors and to the people who work on the mountain. Most of us are weary of a vocal, benighted minority taking advantage of the basic civility of those who want to see this wonderful project move forward.
We don’t need a pause. We need to move forward. Now.
Kerrill J. Kephart
Waimea
TMT is important, but don’t forget national issues
While the TMT controversy is important locally, let’s not forget what is happening nationally. Robert Mueller will be appearing before congressional committees Wednesday, and attention must be paid to his testimony.
Since Trump proclaims frequently, loudly, and tiresomely that the report totally exonerates him, why is he so fearful of letting Mueller speak?
Perhaps it is because Mueller has already declared “if we had confidence that the president clearly did not commit a crime, we would have said that.”
Let Mueller testify and let us all listen to what he has to say.
Phyllis Hanson
Honalo