Lack of transparency
I’ve had issues with two state departments, the Department of Transportation and the Department of Land and Natural Resources.
The DLNR posted various documents pertaining to the Thirty Meter Telescope on its website. I inquired if they’re going to post a certain document that grants the TMT the authorization to start construction on Maunakea, which they also posted on their web page in 2015.
One of the DLNR’s public information officers responded to my inquiry instead of the person I emailed. I was told all DLNR employees are no longer authorized to talk to general public, and all inquiries have to be routed through the public affairs office.
As far as my inquiry about that notice to proceed document, DLNR public affairs stated to me they will continue to update their website, but there is no guarantee they’ll post this particular document online.
I’ve run into similar issues with the DOT regarding the proposed Federal Inspection Station project at Ellison Onizuka Kona International Airport at Keahole. The bids for this facility were opened June 15 of this year. However, the Hawaii DOT still hasn’t awarded this project.
Most HDOT projects are awarded within 60 days of bid opening. This caused me to investigate further why it hasn’t been awarded. HDOT public affairs wasn’t very helpful or transparent when I tried to inquire. I had to go through alternative means to see where things stand. As it turned out, this information was wrong.
Then I inquired with HDOT public affairs one final time recently. They finally revealed why this project hasn’t been awarded yet.
HDOT issued a bid addendum June 8, a week before the bid opening, that extended the bid award time frame from 60 to 455 days from bid opening. If they told me this initially, then I would’ve backed off.
That didn’t happen, so I got reprimanded by public affairs for emailing too many people. There is also a possibility they might have blacklisted my email address, as I’m having difficulty emailing other divisions in the state Department of Transportation.
I am very disappointed how both of these inquires were handled by these state departments. Inquiries from the general public should be handled much more transparently than what has happened in both of these instances.
Aaron Stene
Kailua-Kona