SHATTERED DREAMS

ALOHA TO A BROKEN, INEFFICIENT HAWAI'I

After nearly 20 years of calling our beloved Hawai'i my home, the time had come to set myself free. No longer could I justify the exchange of trade winds, rainbows, mountains and surf for a beautiful home and great schools for my family.

Only one who has loved the Hawaiian Islands as deeply and completely as I have could possibly understand how it feels to leave there. It is as if leaving a loved one forever, breaking hearts, shattering dreams.

My life changed forever in the Hawaiian Islands. My children were born there. Hawai'i is where I learned to identify native plants. I hiked countless remote valleys and mountain peaks on every island except Kaho'olawe and Ni'ihau.

It was in Hawai'i that I finally made the transition from a boy to a man, found love, found myself.

I had tried to help the 'aina and its people whenever I could. I really did. I tried to do my part. Unfortunately, Hawai'i is broken and inefficient. The Superferry fiasco is only one in a very long string of ridiculous wastes of taxpayer money and time.

Still, I will dream of those trade winds and the sweet blue surf from here in my huge new $250,000 home on the Mainland.

DECREPIT DOCKS

SESSION SHOULD FOCUS ON ALA WAI HARBOR

It is ironic that Gov. Linda Lingle is calling for a special session of the Legislature to "save" the Superferry when for years Ala Wai Harbor has fallen into a sorry state of disrepair.

If anything needs saving in the special session, it is the Ala Wai, where pollution, dangerous and decrepit docks, and rundown facilities greet local and visitor alike.

Ala Wai should be the pearl of the Pacific. Instead, it is a money-losing dump, long neglected by the state.

TRANSIT

HOT LANES ARE STILL BEST COMMUTE SOLUTION

As we discuss which technology is best for the fixed guideway chosen by the City Council, it is appropriate to remember the earthquake last year.

What if the earthquake had caused damage to the H-1 Freeway and it was inoperable for months? We have built numerous subdivisions in West and Central O'ahu; however, we have not increased the lanes on H-1. Shouldn't we have an alternative route besides Kamehameha Highway?

HOT lanes (two reversible lanes) would provide the alternative route we need. Would the thousands of commuters in West and Central O'ahu rather have two HOT lanes as an alternative when the H-1 is closed, or rail?

The city's data tell us 80 percent of commuters use automobiles. HOT lanes will reduce travel time and gas consumption for all commuters — transit and automobile. HOT lanes are the best alternative when the H-1 is closed.

SUPERFERRY

SESSION IS NEEDED TO REFLECT WILL OF MAJORITY

I am writing this in response to the opinion expressed by Larry Lee (Island Voices, Oct. 15).

He expressed concerns about calling a special session of the Legislature to change a law to suit the whims of some people. I would respond thusly:

The laws were passed by men and women elected by the people and are not infallible. The representatives were elected to represent the majority and not a few special interests. According to those legislators that I have spoken with, the public is about 9-to-1 in favor of a special session and are pro-Superferry.

That being said, it is not really the law that a special session needs to repeal but the interpretation of that law by the Judiciary. Chapter 343 of Hawai'i Revised Statutes concerns itself only with the capital improvements to the harbor and does not involve Superferry, which comes under the jurisdiction of the Public Utilities Commission.

The court had the case for more than a year before deciding at the last minute that the Department of Transportation should have considered the secondary impact of the Superferry as far as traffic and cultural changes.

Since the court delayed till the ferry was ready to run and large investments on the part of Superferry and the state were at risk, a special session is necessary to make a last-minute correction to prevent further losses and at the same time represent the will of the majority.

FERRY HAS RESTRICTIONS, BUT OTHERS DON'T?

Let me get this straight. "Superferry would have to give 'unconditional acceptance' to operating restrictions that prevent the spread of invasive species," for which they already have mitigation protocols.

Others should just go on spreading invasives as they normally do, without protocols. For this we need a special session?

DISGUSTED BY DEBACLE OVER SUPERFERRY CASE

This debacle with the Superferry disgusts me.

I've lived in this state for more than 30 years, and I and many others have long wished for an interisland ferry service that's capable of handling the channels between these islands.

Hawai'i is the one state in the union that's comprised exclusively of islands, yet the only way to get from island to island is by flying.

I'm especially disgusted with the so-called environmentalists on Maui. I lived on Maui for 12 years, and I speak from experience. This is a place that will rezone pristine coastline, dig up ancient burial sites, and build resorts and vacation condos at the drop of a hat.

As for danger to humpback whales, why don't these environmentalists (sic) do something about all the charter boat operations that do whale-watch (harassment) tours? And the personal watercraft and parasail operations? These endanger the whales far more than the Superferry would.

The Superferry would be a great boon to local residents — and perhaps that's why a lot of people here oppose it — it doesn't directly benefit tourists.

FERRY WOULD BE MORE AFFORDABLE FOR DISABLED

As a disabled person in a wheelchair with a converted van, has anyone given any thought to the value the Superferry can bring?

If we wanted to travel to Maui or Kaua'i for business or vacation, we would have a very costly trip renting a travel wheelchair so that it can fit in a regular van. We are a family of six.

On the ferry, we can take our van, I can use my wheelchair and I can be independent without incurring more expenses. We incur enough expenses because of my disabilities.

I was looking forward to using this venue as a way to travel and visit the Neighbor Islands.

The delay adds to the many challenges the disabled face.

Why are the disabled always the last to be considered?

I can appreciate all the arguments put out there. But unless you walk a day in my shoes, or ride a day in my chair, will you appreciate my point of view? It's not pretty, nor is it affordable.

Any help is appreciated — the Superferry was one that we were waiting for.

ENVIRONMENTAL LAWS SHOULDN'T BE OVERRULED

Thank you, Judge Joseph Cardoza, for standing up for our laws over a governor who uses state funds for the Superferry's pocketbooks at our expense.

Hopefully, next time big business will follow Hawai'i's environmental laws to protect our Islands.

If the governor and the Superferry completed an environmental impact statement before building the dock and bringing the ferry to Hawai'i, they wouldn't have egg on their faces today. Going behind the law, under the law and over the law is detrimental to our islands.

The governor and the Superferry need to return the $40 million to the state budget for the dock that was built before the EIS. This money is needed for road repair, new classrooms for the keiki and other basics.

Listen, Sen. Colleen Hanabusa: We don't need a costly special legislative session that would further drain the state budget and overrule present laws.

What message is a Democrat sending by siding with a Republican governor on an economic matter that would hurt our Islands?

SUPERFERRY

FERRY PROVES MONEY CAN'T BUY EVERYTHING

I am saddened to hear that more than 200 people have lost their jobs because the Superferry is not sailing to the Neighbor Islands.

All of the problems could have been avoided if the impact study was done before the Superferry opened up for business.

And now our legislators want to call a special session to help the Superferry get back to business. All they're doing is trying to clean up the mess that they created.

This goes to show what happens when we put making money over doing what is right. If everyone involved had done their jobs, the impact study would have been done.

Our government officials have to learn that Hawai'i is a beautiful place and it is their job to protect the environment.

Our government officials should have done an impact study before authorizing the Superferry to operate.

Now, people's livelihoods have been lost.

We have an opportunity to learn from this experience. And that is that money can't buy everything.

ISLE MUSIC

IZ'S 'RAINBOW' BRINGS BACK FOND MEMORIES

I have been to Honolulu seven times in less than six years. I was also married there. Needless to say, I love it there.

I live in Massachusetts, and we have a Boston radio station that plays Iz's version of "Over the Rainbow" every Sunday morning just before noon.

I've tried to contact them to find out the reason, but have had no luck. My husband and I listen each week and think about being there again. Aloha!