Personal experiences
with USAID workers
I am extremely distressed by the illegal Donald Trump efforts to eliminate USAID as an independent agency.
I have worked alongside USAID workers in several countries in Latin America and the western Pacific over my USGS career, in USAID-supported work to provide technical assistance after volcanic disasters or during pre-eruptive crises.
I have also worked alongside local USAID employees distributing food or medical supplies to those in need.
I was always very proud of my country when I saw that U.S. flag on those bags or boxes! My wife and I were in Colombia in 1963 when the related “Alianza para el Progreso” cut through bureaucratic barriers and local corruption to provide slum-busting housing aid directly to needy residents.
When Jackie Kennedy came to dedicate the first apartment in Bogota, her speech (in Spanish) galvanized invaluable good will towards the U.S.!
President Kennedy established USAID in 1961 to demonstrate the humanitarian motives of America. USAID was later formalized as an independent agency by congressional action — to separate USAID from local diplomatic missions.
This independence allowed USAID to promote longer-term aid efforts that could not be so easily impacted by presidential elections and new U.S. ambassadors.
The Trump/DOGE efforts to dismiss over 10,000 dedicated domestic and international employees and to place the shattered remnants of USAID under the control of the State Department do not align with congressional intentions and laws and is clearly illegal.
The Trump/Musk team does not seem to respect any laws and they are blatantly defying the U.S. Constitution. Does Congress care as America speeds toward imperialistic totalitarian dictatorial rule?
John Lockwood
Hilo
DOH can’t operate
the Hilo morgue
In response to Roger Christie’s letter in the Tribune-Herald (March 23), I wish it was that simple to transfer the responsibilities of the morgue to the Department of Health, but it’s not.
Police are responsible for investigating deaths that fall out of the ordinary, such as violent or unexpected.
As a former police detective, if there are signs of foul play, the body needs to be recovered as evidence, at which time a pathologist performs an autopsy to determine the manner and exact cause of death, as well as the identity of the deceased.
I could go on and on, but these are just a fraction of the examples of why “let cops be cops” need to be involved with the issues involving the morgue.
The DOH does not have the capability, qualifications or oversight to run the operations of the morgue.
Prentiss Moreno
Hilo
