‘Inhumane and reckless’
The Department of Hawaiian Home Lands is land rich, cash poor.
The Office of Hawaiian Affair is rich in cash and poor in land.
If OHA is a $600 million agency, then there is no reason why there should be a homeless crisis that has resulted in misplacement of the Hawaiians sleeping out on the streets and/or dying while waiting on some ridiculous list.
That is inhumane and reckless on the part of the very agencies they rely upon. So, of course, the kanaka are disgruntled and very well should be.
DHHL and OHA need to come together to work this out for their beneficiaries.
Unfortunately, for the Hawaiian kanaka, their grievances have clearly been misdirected — for their land and money has been sitting there all this time, held hostage by other people’s personal and political agendas.
So now the question is: Will these two agencies be able to come together and put their differences aside for the betterment of their people?
Only time will tell, I guess.
Lisa Malakaua
Hilo
Skip the refund
It is without a doubt that Big Island’s hospitality as well as the food and beverage industry are going to continue to be hit hard by COVID-19.
I would also like to shine light on our nonprofits for the arts and venues for the performing arts. Shows and events are being canceled left and right at venues around the island. I would like to encourage individuals who if you have tickets for a live theater or entertainment event that was canceled because of the virus — or has not been canceled but you are choosing to responsibly social distance yourself because you have been feeling unwell — to please consider donating your money to the theater instead of asking for a refund.
This is the kind of thing that kills arts organizations. And, above all, please remember to be kind to one another out there.
Thank you for your consideration.
Nicole Gour
Hamakua
Fix the attitude
I am disappointed and somewhat ashamed by the greedy and selfish community of our island.
I am disappointed by the attitudes of so many people, and the rotten ways everyone is dealing with what we can’t change — it’s called reality.
The virus is frightening, to a point, but to drain all our stores and forgetting our community by buying and making all the shelves empty of toilet paper, paper towels, tissues and the antibacterial soap is sad.
There are issues and rules we can’t change, but let’s realize we’re all in this together. Let’s help our kupuna and keiki by sharing and not being greedy.
Yes, to stock up is good, but common sense doesn’t require money — it’s kokua with aloha. Wake up with “gratitude as our attitude.”
Lynise Tarring
Hilo