Oahu access grab
The proposed administrative rules for access to Maunakea are due to be voted on by the University of Hawaii Board of Regents on Nov. 6. There are a number of heavy-handed rules that could be used (at the whim of the UH president) to severely limit Big Island residents access to Maunakea.
These rules are available on the Office of Maunakea Management website, and include:
1. Access by private vehicles may be restricted by utilizing shuttle vehicles in lieu of private vehicles;
2. Limiting the number of vehicles allowed access;
3. Charging fees for entrance and parking;
4. Putting a gate up at the visitors center;
5. Mandatory cultural orientations, possibly every time you go up the mountain.
Nowhere in the rules is there any differentiation between tourists and Big Island/Hawaii residents’ rights of access. If in the future there are overcrowding issues at the summit, have tourists pay fees and take shuttles, not Hawaii residents.
Instead of attempting to turn Maunakea into a tourist-like experience, I urge UH to put their resources and energy into making local access easier and more enjoyable. Inhibiting our access to Maunakea is not the way forward.
The OMKM announced on Aug. 9 that they will be conducting a study on the public and commercial tour capacity for Maunakea. This should have been done before these rules were proposed. No action should be taken on these rules until this study is complete and the public has been apprised of its results.
If you believe that the ability of Big Island residents to access Maunakea in private vehicles for spiritual purposes, snow-play or stargazing needs to be enhanced, rather than further restricted, now may be your last chance to act.
Email your public testimony to the Board of Regents at bor.testimony@hawaii.edu, or testify in person.
Thomas Bearden
Ninole
‘All in’ on kingdom
The other day I was thinking about the future. Dreaming about daily life in the new Kingdom of Hawaii.
Some of my neighbors and friends are worried. Not me. I’m looking forward to it.
Can’t wait; I’m “all in.”
The most exciting prospect is the new currency and the new banknotes. Although the greenback is OK, the dollar notes tend to be confusing. All denominations are the same color.
The Kingdom of Hawaii banknotes will be different colors. Like Canada plus China and the eurozone.
I particularly like the new 50 Coconut banknote. It’s the one with the picture of Maunakea.
There was a lot of controversy about the 50 Coconut note. Should the picture of Maunakea include the old telescopes or not? The estimates are 75 years to remove all of the telescopes. The new laws allow only religious vehicles near the summit, so all the old astronomy structures must be backpacked down the mountain. It’s a slow process.
There was some discussion about simply Photoshop-ing the image of Maunakea and removing the telescopes. But, you can always recognize a Photoshop-ed picture.
Besides, during the 75 years it will take to remove all of the telescopes, new 50 Coconut notes can be printed and reissued.
The gradual removal of the telescopes can be captured with new images of Maunakea. And mark the progress of the kingdom. A barometer of the descent into barbarism.
Did I mention the colors of the 50 Coconut bank note? It’s a little difficult to explain. The competition for choosing the colors was won by a 3-year-old. She wanted every color in her 64-color box of Crayons represented on the 50 Coconut note.
The reverse side of the 50 Coconut banknote is unique. There’s nothing like it anywhere else in the world. It has these swirling circular designs. Like the optical illusions you experience in the Fun House at an amusement park.
There have been some minor complaints from sales clerks who had attacks of vertigo and fell over when they looked at it.
I’m looking forward to the new Kingdom.
Kenneth Beilstein
Kailua-Kona
