• Reform health care • Kilauea Park mahalo • Alfred Laureta • Economic tsunami Reform health care Enough time has been utilized in the effort to include any bipartisan approval of the needed reforms in President Obama’s plan to improve access to health
• Reform health care • Kilauea Park mahalo • Alfred Laureta • Economic tsunami
Reform health care
Enough time has been utilized in the effort to include any bipartisan approval of the needed reforms in President Obama’s plan to improve access to health services by the millions without any insurance.
It is clear that opposition is based on the desire to kill the reform effort rather than to solve the problems of high rates and cancellation of policies whenever the insurance company so chooses.
It is time to get on with voting on the reforms being proposed in order to send the message to the insurance companies that they are not in charge any more. If rates continue to run rampant, the democratic can go right back into session with a public option ready immediately. It is too bad that this solution has been placed aside for the first draft.
Our precious free and wealthy country needs to show as much concern for all who live here in the same generous way we support those in need around the world. Let your representatives in Congress know that you support the reform of health services to cover access for everyone.
Joanne Nakashima, Kalaheo
Kilauea Park mahalo
I would like to take this time to thank the people who made it possible in re-doing the baseball/softball diamond in Kilauea. Thank you for your labor and time for doing a great job. You all came and contributed to help make this a successful community effort.
Again thank you all so very much: Mayor Bernard Carvalho, Lenny Rapozo, George Algren, Jojo Ponce, Miles Sugahara, Chad Raush, Jan Kimura, KK Kimura, Hoku Swartsman, Braddah Chandler, Nelson Armitage Jr., Naalii Armitage, Daniel Oliveira, Daniel La’a, Yoshi Harada, Kukailimoku C Puulei Chandler, Bito Hermosura, Hanalei Hermosura, Kekoa Hermosura, Kamalei Hermosura, Kaleo Lum, Kaleo Pacheco, Kolo Valpoon, Marvin Masada, Wilbert Cummings, Clayton Miyashiro, Stephanie Haumea, John Contrades, Wesley Haraguchi, Philbert Kelekoma, Ricky Ham Young, Kyle Miike, David Sproat, John Yoon, Michael Ornellas, Calvin Saffrey, Nathan Lemn, Paul Fujiyama, John Hankinson, Abe Kahalemomo.
If I have missed any names, I’m sorry for there were so many that helped.
Karl Kimura, Kilauea
Why the inconsistency?
Your editorial of 3/7/10 (Firing power) speaks of “holding off on expanding the mayor’s power to hire and fire five key county department heads”..for the reasons…that it is “wiser” to “vest such decision with a majority of the members…serving on a board or commission” and although the proposal may improve accountability it would “politicize” those positions further.
The procedure for the proposal is patterned after the state model wherein a “judicial selection committee” reviews and screens all applicants for a judgeship appointment and submits a list of five names from which the governor makes a selection.
Do you believe that appointment of a county-manager, by a majority of an elected council to whom the manager is responsible, is “less political” than the appointment, e.g. of the fire chief selected by the mayor from a list of five applicants reviewed and screened by the Fire Commission?
Your earlier editorial of Nov. 28, 2009 (Let the people decide) makes this bold pronouncement that “Any proposal that would significantly change the way the county governs itself should be put before the voters, including the county manager amendment now in the hands of the Charter Review Commission.”
Since I believe that the county-manager system will not solve the “pages of problems” or significantly improve the effectiveness and efficiency of our government, I have taken the same position you have taken on this proposal:…CRC, hold off on the county manager proposal.
What mystifies me is why your position on this proposal is so inconsistent with the wisdom of your November 28 pronouncement to “Let the people decide” the question of the county manager system but not the fire power proposal which meets all the elements of your criteria for submission to the people for decision.
Alfred Laureta, Lihu‘e
Economic tsunami
The local police, civil defense and emergency workers did an excellent job handling the tsunami threat.
It was done in a very calm, professional manner and everything went smooth.
Had there been a big wave, they would have saved numerous lives because of their swift and timely response.
Setting up road blocks and evacuating the public from low-lying areas is not an easy task considering the amount of people that live and vacation in these areas.
Thank you very much for your hard work. Not only was this an excellent emergency drill. It was also the single best day for the local economy all year.
Dan O’Flaherty, Koloa
