Yes, you can feel it in the air that election time is nearing. The handshaking, the kissing of babies’ heads, the “I know you and want your votes,” those large canvassed and regular posters, and those many things the candidates do when running for government seats, certainly makes it obvious that election time is near.
Although considered qualified and capable, here on Kauai my observations, though may have no bearings to what is happening, are that we need to have more selections and some better choices of people vying for the mayoral seat.
The people are the same people running for government, and their ideas are very stale and will forever be the same. We need younger, more vibrant, more eager, and people who have the gumptions and the credibility to do the things to help the people of the islands, and not just to be elected for self-interest purposes and to do things for themselves.
Here are my assessments of the four candidates running for the mayor’s position.
The two Rapozos will probably, most likely, cancel each other, leaving Kawakami and Yukimura other possible candidates. But if you don’t like either one of them, who else is available?
Kawakami sounds like a good candidate, but to give initial support to the dairy could jeopardize his chances.
Yukimura, who I like very much, was a mayor already and may be canceled as a likable candidate.
Then who? Me? Why not? I could “bull” my way to become a very good candidate. Why not Bob Cariffe? There! He is a good man. I really like this guy. He is really honest and, having some serious talks with him, he holds no punches. Has anyone really and truly talked to him and hear what he has to say? No! He has no personal business to worry about, and therefore, he will have no “conflict of interest” because he is/has seen picking up recycled cans and plastics, people think he would not be a qualified person.
No one felt he was worthy, therefore, talking to him was just wasting time. Consider this. Those running and putting their names for mayor is to me much and way less than talking to Bob Cariffe. Think about it. He’d be the guy that would help the people, and probably the most qualified person to be on the mayoral ticket. Not like those who have been in government for so many years, promising this and that, but never coming through.
Yes, Bob Cariffe. I like him, and I believe he is really the one. Think I’m kidding? Heck, no. Crazy? No. I am as sane as those people who believe that those candidates running for the mayoral seat are those who would make the changes and would do well for the people of Kauai. Really?
Yes, election time is here, but why aren’t more people putting their names on the ticket for the mayor’s seat?
There are a lot of good people around.
Whatevers, just be there in the voting booths and vote when the time comes.
Ray Domingo
Hanamaulu
Bob Carrife is 75 years old about. He used to work in Lihue for Interim temp agency. He was about 50 yrs. Old in 1994. He was always the labor worker all his life in Lihue & Kukui Grove shopping center. He was always the first one in line at the office. He ran several times but no luck. Remembering 1994 in Lihue.
Lenny has this locked down. Just look at all county parks and say he’s not th best choice!!!
yes, vote for Joanne…she thinks baking a batch of cookies will solve dangerous environmental problems.
Just ask her.
Lots of now retired DOE educators had many opportunities to talk with dear old Bob. Ask one of them about his stability!
mAhalo Ray, Great Letter! I threw my hat into the ring for Kauai Mayor, went to a woman’s caucus, where most of the signatures i needed as a candidate were easily obtained. It is unfortunate that there are too many that do not know what is happening and they do not care, because they havent been here to observe the “corrupt” as mel said, nature of this particular beast. Ive got five decades under my Kauai belt and i have a skill set to match any of the past or current politicians. I am not, however, doing fundraising or taking anyone’s hard earned dollars. I am running strictly on name recognition, what i have done for the community, and am the peoples mayor necessary. At the debates, IF there are going to be any, or maybe because i am ready to debate, those running this show will dismiss my opportunity to share what can never again be dismissed. Truth and Integrity shall prevail. Step up and find out, Rev 3:15
I guess it depends on how you define “skill set,” Debra.
“Truth and integrity shall prevail”? Let’s hope so because the last thing Kauai needs is a mentally unbalanced person running the show.
TGI mAhalo Ray, Great Letter! I threw my hat into the ring for Kauai Mayor, went to a woman’s caucus, where most of the signatures i needed as a candidate were easily obtained. It is unfortunate that there are too many that do not know what is happening and they do not care, because they havent been here to observe the “corrupt” as mel said, nature of this particular beast. Ive got five decades under my Kauai belt and i have a skill set to match any of the past or current politicians. I am not, however, doing fundraising or taking anyone’s hard earned dollars. I am running strictly on name recognition, what i have done for the community, and am the peoples mayor necessary. At the debates, IF there are going to be any, or maybe because i am ready to debate, those running this show will dismiss my opportunity to share what can never again be dismissed. Truth and Integrity shall prevail. Step up and find out, Rev 3:15
Aloha,
It would be nice if all candidates wrote a list to be published that would tell us what they will do when elected.
1.) How you going to fix or at least improve traffic problem.
2.) Housing, Affordable rents and purchases
3.) Drugs…prevention please; as rehab the problem is already there. Is it really hard to find the dealers?
4.) Since the bus has not worked why will it with more of the same… Wouldn’t 15 passenger vans stopping anywhere along the way where you need to go; or pick up at more locations and make 15 minutes wait the max wait time. Sell the busses and the 30 sitting in Lihue all day.
Make town routes where vans go up and down the main road in each town and up into the neighborhoods…still with 15 minute waits maximum. Other vans or few busses to got main hiway between towns.
5.) Traffic directors at each stop light making 100 cars at a time pass thru…100 cars on the go, with enough time between to empty the shopping centers and intersections…then another 100 cars. There’s only so many cars…If not enough cars to make it a 100…open the intesections earlier than that…From Kawaihau Road all the way to the “T” at Rice street in Lihue…going…! ! !
6.) How do you fix a 7 member council and 1 mayor when after plenty years they no more solutions. Haven’t they had their chance?
Charles
Agreed, Derek Kawakami blew his political clout when he came out for the industrial sized dairy half a mile upstream from beautiful Maha’ulepu beach. Especially as he failed to disclose that he is on the board of Grove Farms non-profit. He seems to have a disclosure problem, he recently tried to get the height restriction for buildings raised but only on Rice Street. He failed to disclose he inherited multiple buildings on Rice Street. He voted for the new classification of A&B’s agriculture land in the General Plan so they will be able to get their foot in the door with the Land Use Committee without doing the required Environmental Impact Statement that a normal developer would have to do before going to the Land Use Committee. He failed to disclose that he got campaign donations of $7500 from A&B. He also failed to disclose he was in the planning group that put together A&B proposed second city. And there’s more…
Aloha, We lucky you live Kauai…don’t stop there…tell us more…please !
I’ve only lived here 11 years but in that time there have been significant changes in Lihue area in the way of highways and street improvement but not much else save the Baptiste Bridge(Wailua). I guess we do have some changes on westside but I live in Kapaa area. I don’t get over to wesside because of the traffic. Use to be I could time my trips into Lihue or Kapaa and avoid the heavy traffic but no more except weekends and now kapaa is is hit and miss then. Occasionally I watch the council on public tv. I have met and talked with Joanne Y and always been impressed with her knowledge and care of the Island. We have got to do something about the traffic, the number of people who visit our Island and the cars they must rent due to our woefully inadequate bus system. I would add to the suggestions of bus system to have a shuttle that runs from the Lihue Airport to Kealia beach and makes stops at Lydgate, various hotels. We have no buses on the eastside that service Lydgate. Wouldn’t it be nice if you could hop on the bus in Lihue and go to Lydgate? And on the bus thing I can’t tell you how many times I’ve had people miss the sat sunday bus because they couldn’t read the schedule. Truth be told I’ve done it too!
As Mayor, i would not talk about and dismiss as Dahilig did, the terminology Moratorium on growth and downsizing entire fleets, two auto rentals, incorporate taxi couponing for paratransit, bigger busses go to decreasing weight times. Iniki style WE ARE A disaster, FREE iniki returns two weeks ago. Abercrombie “sensation about occupation and free land, Lingle looking at VP u.s.a. superferry stryker brigade ploy that tax payers still paying for. Obama was useless, Do any of you know what is the “smoking gun”? Housing temporary long-term at the many empty hotel and condo awaiting visitors. WHAT part of disaster mode are you folks missing? in 2009, i sat outlining BIG ISLAND free stop anywhere taxi coupons, but joanns baby required the high maka and still does. REMOVE stoplights in places to double lane RoundAbouts. I remember when there was NOT one greenorangered. The first installation, promptly had an elder t-boned in our ER, brought by our ems ambulance crew. Otherwise you educate even if it means martial law or temporarily redrawing the LINS in the sand. would be a far better term to implement. Encourage voters to know who they are. It is not what it appears. Neutrality minus U.S. HVB start taking applicants that ONLY come and go friday and saturday, modeled after Tahiti.