NAWILIWILI — Tourism has to remain strong to make the state’s economy stronger, U.S. Rep. Mazie Hirono, D-Hawai‘i, said during a business roundtable, Wednesday at the Kaua‘i Marriott Resort and Beach Club. She was on Kaua‘i for a day-long meeting
NAWILIWILI — Tourism has to remain strong to make the state’s economy stronger, U.S. Rep. Mazie Hirono, D-Hawai‘i, said during a business roundtable, Wednesday at the Kaua‘i Marriott Resort and Beach Club.
She was on Kaua‘i for a day-long meeting with her constituents, seeking input and offering an update on congressional events.
Hirono, a member of the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, said that leading up to the break, she has supported legislation easing visa restrictions for travelers from Asian countries and supported private and public partnerships to support tourism.
“Tourism has to remain strong,” Hirono said. “Infrastructure is important and needs to be kept up.”
Some of the long-term benefits include the creation of jobs.
Tourism and the high level of unemployment were the leading topics of discussion during the meeting with representatives from the Kapa‘a Business Association, the Lihu‘e Business Association, the state’s Department of Education and the Kaua‘i County Farm Bureau, the Kaua‘i Economic Development Board.
Also at the meeting were representatives of the Kaua‘i Visitors Bureau, the County of Kaua‘i, Hawai‘i Health Systems, including the Kaua‘i Veterans Memorial Hospital and the Samuel Mahelohan Memorial Hospital, and a business owner from Coconut Marketplace “who just wanted to find out what is happening with the economy.”
“We have too many unemployed people, including some 3,000 on Kaua‘i,” Hirono said. “We need to take them off the sidelines and put them into jobs.”
Kaua‘i’s unemployment level in November climbed to 8.8 percent.
Education is a key to future jobs, Hirono said, noting that 80 percent of jobs created on Kaua‘i require at least a high school diploma. Education reforms are needed to help students succeed, she said.
Kaua‘i’s top five job pools: state jobs (2,700), food service (3,100), retail (3,700), accommodations (4,000) and government (4,500), states the November Kaua‘i Economic Indicators report published by the state Department of Business, Tourism and Economic Development.
John Kaohelauli‘i, proprietor of Soul Mate footwear store in Coconut Marketplace, said his business employs a lot of family members, two of whom are currently enrolled at Kaua‘i Community College.
“Right now, we’re okay,” Kaohelauli‘i said, “but in two years, we need to make a decision. We’re slow because of the economy, and there is uncertainty because we’re heavily dependent on tourism.”
Kenny Ishii, representing the Kapa‘a Business Association and Ono Family Restaurant, an establishment he owns in Kapa‘a, said his biggest concern is the Coconut Festival, which showcases the special aloha of Kaua‘i.
Sue Kanoho, director of the Kaua‘i Visitors Bureau, said the Eastside of Kaua‘i suffers from a lack of events for tourism, noting she and George Costa, director of the county’s Office of Economic Development, had just taken a break from the Kaua‘i County Council meeting, where they were testifying in support of events for tourism.
On the downside, Kanoho pointed out the rising crime rate, especially against visitors, and the problem of repeat offenders back on the street.
Solette Perry, in charge of human relations for the veterans hospital and Mahelona Hospital, said health care is one of the leading industries for job opportunities and Congress should be aware of its re-interpretation of mandates, noting in particular the requirements for critical access hospitals.
Mahelona Hospital and Wilcox Memorial Hospital are both critical access facilities. But under the new reinterpretation, Mahelona falls out of the loop because of a 15-mile separation between facilities, Perry said.
“Mahelona is only nine miles away from Wilcox, but (it) provides critical emergency room services for people trying to get in from Hanalei and the North Shore area,” Perry said, noting the reinterpretation affects funding and revenue for Mahelona.
Maty Yoshioka, director of the Kaua‘i Economic Development Board, said the credits which brought the high-tech industries here should be re-visited so the companies remain here.
“These are the firms which hired our local people and offered opportunity for our youth,” Yoshioka said. “But when the credits disappeared, the companies started leaving. We have a lot of space in our tech centers.”
“There is no shortage of problems,” Jerry Ornellas of the Kaua‘i County Farm Bureau said.
“If mandates come down from Congress, there needs to be funding to accommodate them,” he said.
Ornellas referred to the recent food safety certification program and how the state lost its “certifiers,” requiring trips from the Mainland to get local farmers certified.
Hirono closed her day trip with a “coffee hour” for residents at the Hawai‘i Government Employees Association headquarters in Lihu‘e.
Hirono is competing with former Rep. Ed Case for the August Democratic primary in the race for the seat of retiring U.S. Sen. Daniel Akaka, D-Hawai‘i.
The winner will go up against Republican Gov. Linda Lingle in November.
Business writer Vanessa Van Voorhis contributed to this story.
