Solution to tourism
I couldn’t help but laugh when I saw the cartoon in Sunday’s newspaper (Tribune-Herald, May 12) showing the majority of tourists from the ship boarding the bus to Walmart instead of the tours. This is not only true, but shows that tourists like to spend money on things that make them feel good.
It’s human nature to treat yourself to something that will make you feel good, and we should be appreciative that the Hawaii Tourism Authority is spending more than a million dollars to market the Big Island of Hawaii. However, are they marketing something that will make the tourists want to spend their money to come to Hawaii Island and enjoy themselves?
Hawaii Island needs something really big, something that will draw tourists like a giant magnet. And what is this big thing that will draw millions of tourists and millions of dollars to our island?
Legalized gambling.
But what about the criminals that it will attract? No matter where you go in this world, there are criminals, but then again, that’s why we have police officers who do their best to protect us from criminal activity.
There are pros and cons about this subject, and some will oppose gambling, but, hey, we live in an imperfect world. Las Vegas is prospering, why can’t we?
Now’s the time for our local politicians to work toward legalizing gambling, just like how they legalized marijuana. Tourism is our biggest moneymaker here; let’s brainstorm and find solutions to help our economy grow and prosper.
Darrel Andrew Baring-Brown
Keaau
Great HTH edition
Your Saturday issue of the Tribune-Herald might have been one of the best editions ever, as it contained several stories of great potential benefit to Big Islanders.
“PUC ruling nixed” means that our high-handed, consumer-oblivious Public Utilities Commission must go back and re-evaluate its approval of the Hu Honua contract. Potential benefits: lower electric rates, safer highways and cleaner air.
“Kim: Southwest coming to Hilo” means that Southwest Airlines will expand our air transportation options beyond the current Hawaiian Airlines’ monopoly. Potential benefit: cheaper fares, more scheduling options and better consumer service.
“Plan to open water bottling plant killed” means that private investment interests will not be able to extract a public resource, water, for shipment off-island for personal profit. This was an all-around bad deal for Hawaii Island citizens. Potential benefit: more water retained in the aquifer for future generations.
“Mayor talks temporary road during Puna meeting” means that our long-suffering Puna citizens might finally be able to get home. That’s a benefit all by itself.
I appreciate that the Tribune-Herald does not make the news, but it sure is a good day when it has so many excellent stories to report.
Skip Sims
Ninole