• Cut costs and rates, KIUC • O‘ahu halau provides kokua Cut costs and rates, KIUC KIUC should operate in a more businesslike manner by cutting costs, rather than requesting yet another rate increase. Why does no one appear to be on
• Cut costs and rates, KIUC • O‘ahu halau provides kokua
Cut costs and rates, KIUC
KIUC should operate in a more businesslike manner by cutting costs, rather than requesting yet another rate increase.
Why does no one appear to be on the bandwagon to cut costs? Cooperatives are normally formed to cut out the middleman, period. Not only has our monopolistic KIUC cooperative increased costs astronomically since its inception, (despite $50,000 in profits, according to Walter Lewis), but the Seven Principles it has promulgated and passes off as democratic are tantamount to pie-in-the-sky with money I paid for my electric bill.
I fail to discern concern about the money dispensed by KIUC for specious projects it is funding. KIUC management is welcome to support projects and causes. However, if KIUC management wants to fund such endeavors, then it needs to get out and raise money for this purpose without tapping funds I’ve paid for electricity.
Unlike state and county operations, by requesting a rate increase, rather than cutting costs, it appears that the management of KIUC refuses to recognize the financial situation facing its members, many of whom are subsisting with shrinking paychecks.
Outlays of money for donations, grants, an outrageous publications budget and non-essential staff must cease. Important notifications could easily be included within routine mailings that would amount to more economical mailing costs. KIUC management must re-focus on its core mission, which is to provide electricity as economically as possible, and to develop and promote sustainability for the production of electricity.
As an aside, when I donate money, I want to decide where it is going, and I want the tax deduction on my taxes.
Roberta Griffith, Princeville
O‘ahu halau provides kokua
I am writing to share how very proud I am of my kumu, Blaine Kamalani Kia, and our halau, Ka Waikahe Lani Malie and the Men of Kahulaliwai, for the aloha and malama they showed to others on the day of the tsunami warning.
We were on Kaua‘i for our hula event, E Pili Kakou I Ho‘okahi Lahui, when we received the news that we needed to evacuate from our hotel, the Kaua‘i Beach Hotel. Under the calm leadership of our beloved kumu and our po‘opua‘a, Kualono Dantsuka, we assisted the hotel staff in briefing and organizing all guests to evacuate to Kukui Grove Center. We arrived safely at the shopping center by car and busses and joined hundreds of others to begin what was a very long, anxious day of waiting and worrying.
Our kumu understood what we would be in store for this day and decided this would be our opportunity to kokua. He arranged for all of our sound equipment to be set up at the center stage at the shopping center and we proceeded to play music, sing, talk story, and share our hula with everyone, locals and tourists alike. We even had a computer hooked up to the sound equipment so we could listen to live broadcast streaming from Kong Radio so we would be informed.
Na kumu who were with us for our hula event, Ed Collier, Kealoha Kalama, Leialoha Lim Amina, Paulette Kahalepuna, Michael Ke‘ala Ching and Syl and Mike Kop, along with our musicians and kumu and students of our halau, helped to entertain all day long.
The Kaua‘i Beach Hotel and staff arrived with a bus load of pastries and coolers of water and juice, and provided comfort for all who were at the mall, not just their own guests!
Our halau offered seats to kupuna and keiki, ensured that everyone had something to eat and proceeded to make friends with strangers, explaining to them who they were watching perform, and sometimes what the hula they were watching meant. We got to know others from all over Hawai‘i, the Mainland, Canada, Japan and even Europe. At one point our kumu phoned KONG radio on his cell phone and was on live radio telling everyone on Kaua‘i what was taking place at the shopping center and we all cheered from the audience so everyone listening could hear us!
When the “all clear” announcement came through on the radio, a huge cheer went up in the shopping center and our kumu asked everyone to stand and make a circle, holding hands. We gave a prayer of thanks and sang Hawai‘i Aloha. There were many tears of joy and as I looked around and saw everyone together, I realized what a special day this had been, and really one that epitomizes what Hawai‘i is all about. I was so proud of my kumu at that moment and so proud of my halau and so grateful that we had spent this time with all of these wonderful people.
A day that could very well have been disastrous, mahalo ke akua, turned out to be one full of aloha and memorable moments. The tourists I had made friends with hugged and thanked me and said that this was for them the best day they have ever spent in Hawai‘i and that they would never forget it as long as they live.
So, mahalo nui loa to our kumu, Blaine Kamalani Kia! And to my hula brothers and sisters, imua! Aloha aku no!
Paddy Kauhane, Kane‘ohe
