Excellent Kauai Letter to the Editor 10/20/08

Excellently written letter by Eduardo Valenciana of Lihue, Kauai:

http://www.kauaiworld.com/articles/2008/10/20/opinion/letters_to_the_editor/doc48fc15352333a796273117.txt

"Ferry impact irreversible"

"Candidate Lani Kawahara’s letter explaining her stand regarding the ferry is very sincere.

I admire her honesty but it lacks reflection of the real consequences should the day come when that boat docks at Nawiliwili.

The respected candidate states that she would use her authority to “maximize the benefits and minimize the negative impacts.” Unfortunately the ferry is a Pandora’s Box.

Once on Kaua‘i, the negatives can never again be removed. Every so-called benefit of this issue is rooted in seducing us to believe there are great riches to be had with the ferry’s arrival. Exportation of local goods is but one small part of the total impact.

What concerns me is who and what will be arriving. Yes, visitors arrive daily at Lihu‘e Airport but that system greatly controls the who and what. The ferry is an invitation for the madness that currently is escalating throughout our world to begin to poison our envied tranquility.

Steinbeck’s famous book “The Pearl” describes the turmoil of a simple family who obtains sudden riches in the form of a magnificent pearl and the awful evil that beset them in the form of a greedy, compassionless world which is only focussed on stealing the unique and beautiful pearl by any means possible.

Kaua‘i is that pearl and that ferry and some who will arrive on it desire her riches at any cost and no authority whatsoever would be able to contain the hurt and pain of our loss."

Eduardo Valenciana, Lihu‘e

An observation: At the Hanalei council candidates debate, Lani was the only candidate who complained not once, but 3 or 4 times about the questions she got from the moderator. None of the other candidates complained about their questions, they just answered them. This calls into question necessary level of maturity. Could say more about the issue at hand, but will leave it at that.

Aloha, Brad