• Bridge solutions
• Westside no place for Superferry
• More than just water problems
• Nurses need support
Bridge solutions
Our Mayor has exhibited innovation and flexibility to serve the people of Kaua‘i regarding his plans to replace the existing one-lane Wailua Cane Haul Bridge that crosses the Wailua River with a temporary two-lane ACROW bridge to be built on top of the old one. It is a temporary measure because an entirely different new road and a more permanent bridge are in the plans already.
But the ACROW type bridge was not an option to replace the unsafe Olohena Bridge last year. There was no time remaining to switch from a more traditional concrete permanent bridge to a temporary ACROW bridge because the federal government had threatened to withdraw federal funds if it wasn’t finished in five months. It was too late for new funding, new permits and new construction plans.
Mayor Baptiste came to the rescue back then also because he used an incentive contract to build the Olohena Bridge in only four months that saved as much as 12 months of construction time.
Concrete construction was good for the Olohena Bridge but a temporary ACROW bridge will be good to widen the Wailua Cane Haul Bridge.
Different solutions for different problems — sounds like good government to me.
Westside no place for Superferry
As a resident of the Westside, I will strongly oppose any attempt to dock the Superferry on the west side. I would hope that other westside residents will agree with me that we don’t need that kind of “economic boost.” People have managed to screw up the east side of the island, so now they want to “spread the love around.”
I say no way.
If we want to boost the economy of the Westside, I’d rather see the sugarcane fields growing strong to produce ethanol, windfarms erected, or some technology-oriented (like solar power research) businesses being developed here.
Sorry, Mr. Ferraro, but I am most definitely NOT with you. Either keep that crap off the island completely, or keep it on the Eastside where the damage has already been done.
More than just water problems
The recent article on the water supply problem in the Kilauea area points to a bigger issue that we urgently need to start addressing on a broader level for Kaua‘i. That is our precipitous dependence on cheap energy by way of fossil fuels.
We (our island, our state, our country) have historically responded to a vast majority of our needs in one way that is throw more energy at them. This Kilauea water shortage is a classic example of that practice. Not enough pressure? Build another booster pump, plug it in, and voila!
I believe that this solution is flawed, and that we need to start looking at alternatives. Have you ever taken a look at the water department’s electrical bill? In the year 2005, it was about $2.55 million. If I’m not mistaken, that’s the single biggest annual expenditure that the department has. Our current water use and distribution is incredibly wasteful, both of water and energy.
Before I say another word, I want to emphasize that I do not assign blame to the Water Department for that at all, this is a long standing cultural issue for the whole country. Our wastefulness includes 30-40 percent of residential water for ‘you know what,’ meaning that we, as Kauaians, pay about $416,000 per year, just in electricity cost, to relieve ourselves in our ‘precious drinking water.’ Add in the cost of water supply infrastructure, the cost of water treatment, and all the pollution that goes along, and it becomes difficult to call this an intelligent practice.
The assumptions of the past, including an established dependence on an endless supply of cheap oil, are no longer holding true.
Maybe it is about time we start re-examining some of these practices. How about grey water systems? How about water catchment? How about composting toilets? These and other solutions are available, and it’s about time that we begin to embrace them.
Nurses need support
I will admit that I have been too busy with opening a new business and taking care of my life that I haven’t been paying too much attention to the issues surrounding the nurses strike. Then I read Dr. Lee Esvlin’s letter. And my eyes were opened. I respect Dr. Esvlin and know that he is a fair and honest man who truly knows the inside scoop on what has gone wrong with the big changes at KMC.
I was an inpatient at Wilcox in February and I remember telling my family that the only time I saw a nurse was when I pushed the button and asked one for something. It was very clear that they were totally dedicated and extremely hard working, but unable to really do everything that needed to be done. It is a matter of time and they just didn’t have enough of it. Not their fault! I was then moved to Queens Hospital. What a difference. The nurses at Queens have their own computer to work at and take around with them, they seemed to have more time with each patient and at times I saw more of them than I really wanted to. There was a signicant difference in the availabilty of the nurses at Queens than was my experience at Wilcox. My family who were staying with me also noticed the difference in the level of service I received.
As a parent I have been extremely disappointed in the turnover rate of doctors in the pediatrics deparment of KMC. My children are very healthy but when they have needed to see a doctor, the doctor listed as their primary physician has left the clinic. This has happened three times thus forcing me to choose yet another pediatrician and hope that this one won’t leave.
I am happy that Dr. Esvlin has come forward to share with the community the problems that are happening with HPH. The community knows something is seriously wrong, but most of us don’t really understand the issues. HPH needs to come back to the bargaining table with the good of our community in their hearts.
We need the nurses back at work able to support their families and themselves working at a career that is often difficult and stressful, but when done well with the support they need and deserve, can be a very rewarding career. We need the nurses and they need our support.
