• Clarifying youth-coordinator position • Hawaiian neglect continues • Let public debate continue • Take a lesson for tough sand traps Clarifying youth-coordinator position The youth coordinator position was initiated in 1994 by the Kusaka administration and held for eight
• Clarifying youth-coordinator position • Hawaiian neglect continues • Let public debate continue • Take a lesson for tough sand traps
Clarifying youth-coordinator position
The youth coordinator position was initiated in 1994 by the Kusaka administration and held for eight years by Sharon Agnew, who did a wonderful job working directly with youth on our island. I wholeheartedly agree (with Eduardo Valenciana, “Youth coordinator is needed,” May 31) that there never seems to be enough activity for our young people to occupy their spare time nor that garners their interest. Over the eight years of its existence this youth coordinator position brought in hundreds of thousands of federal grant dollars directed at the intermediate (school) level in the Kapa‘a and Waimea areas, funding prevention programs over several years for our youth and parents to jointly participate in. Following that eight-year interim, Mayor Baptiste changed this position to fund the anti-drug coordinator position where it continues today, again bringing millions in grant monies to the county to address prevention programs for our youth. The programs that have benefited throughout these 16 or so years are the Boys & Girls Clubs, Big Brothers and Big Sisters, Teen Court, and many other nonprofit organizations that work hard with youth everyday within our community.
The Kaua‘i Police Department is and has been a recipient of Juvenile Justice Prevention funds and continues to work hard with our youth in conjunction with the former youth coordinator and anti-drug coordinator at the mayor’s office.
For more information you may visit: http://www.kauai.gov/Government/OfficeOfTheMayor/AntiDrug
Information/tabid/150/Default.aspx.
(Former Mayor) Maryanne Kusaka, Wailua
Hawaiian neglect continues
President Clinton’s Public Law 103-150, Apology Resolution to Native Hawaiians was signed November 23, 1993. GIN news item reports on 05/19/2010, a congressional resolution was born, senators apologizing for “ill-conceived policies” and acts of violence against American Indians by the U.S. government. Now, doesn’t that sound familiar to that of 1893?
This reporter further states that the history of the U.S. toward American Indians, (Hawaiians), all native peoples, is not a bright record. Duh!! Too “many instances of violence, maltreatment, neglect,” and an entire Hawaiian generation losing their language. This “neglect” was, has been, and continues to be inflicted. Shallow at best. The real question is, “what happens from this day forward?” If this ‘apology’ is consistent with Clinton’s, then from that day forward, nothing has happened and nothing will happen now. It’s always been a ‘done deal’ when the feds are involved. It is yet another symbolic gesture that would supposedly help promote a renewed commitment by the federal government to the tribes. Yeah right, there’s been no commitment, ever! Yet, irregardless or true to indigenous spirit of aloha, tribes or native peoples having been forced to be federally interactive, the Creek Nation Second Chief Berryhill called the apology “a historical step” in U.S./tribes relationship, and that tribes “maintain ourselves as sovereign” nations. Why has Hawai‘i been excluded from their sovereign? Consider if Hawai‘i is not a state then, Department of Health birth certifications would render Obama ineligible to be president.
Debra Kekaualua, Wailua
Let public debate continue
Sadly Roger Olsen’s snide remarks: “Mr. Coll and Mr. Antonson disagree. We get it. Can we move on now?” (“Time to move on,” TGI letters, May 25, 2010) indicates he does not “get it.” One cannot take a public-policy issue and trivialize it as just a personal disagreement. Simply stated the public-policy issue is “Should the public’s business be conducted in a public, open, accountable and transparent manner, or in secret?”
Mr. Olsen’s curt comment failed to disclose he works for Ho‘ike (the Ho‘ike issue was raised out-of-the-blue by Mr. Antonson). Mr. Olsen’s failure to disclose is not surprising. Evidently Ho‘ike employees are not satisfied with curtailing the free expression of ideas just at Ho‘ike, but are now covertly attempting to do so in our community newspaper by using a shop-worn propaganda formula: don’t disclose your interest, re-define a public-policy discussion as a personal disagreement, ask if we can move on, and never yourself opine on the public issue at hand. Don’t contribute to public dialogue — shut it down.
Ed Coll, Puhi
Take a lesson for tough sand traps
In response to S.M. Shirai’s letter dated 5/29/10, “Fix golf-course sand traps,” Wailua g.c. is the busiest course on the island. The amount of tourists playing is down due to the lower amount of tourists coming here, or anywhere for that matter. The condition of the sand traps are good, not extreme, and if you’re having trouble in the traps, I would suggest a lesson with your irons so as to not hit into them, or a lesson in how to hit out of them from several lies. Hitting out of the back of the bunker is one of the more difficult shots in golf and requires skill to land and stop the ball at the desired distance. There is nothing wrong with the bunkers on the greatest deal on the planet to enjoy a three + hour round of golf. If you want more people to play, then might I suggest some advertising through the Kaua‘i tourism board.
Jeffrey Hulsman, Kapa‘a
