Blog

From Christine Sheppard, with the Kona Coffee Farmers Association:

Our Hawaii State Legislature operates out of Oahu, and this makes sense. But what does not make sense is the way in which they operate, which essentially disenfranchises all of the outer islands.Bills are scheduled with little or no notice, and written testimony is required to be sent one day ahead. An almost impossible task! Plus we all know that testifying in person makes a much bigger impact on our representatives and senators. But how can people in Hawaii do this? Even if you get two days notice of a hearing, planes are full, flights not available that get there early enough, costs are prohibitively high.

Sometimes it seems that these arrangements are deliberate… let the big corporations on Oahu have the floor to themselves because outer island farmers cannot get there to make their voice heard. HB1226, the Pre-emption Bill, is a classic case of denying outer islands their rights of self-determination.

There is an answer! Hawaii County Council offers video conferencing so that Kona people can give personal testimony to the Council when it is sitting in Hilo, and vice versa.

Why can’t the State do the same?

Make it easier for people to tell their elected representatives how they feel about a Bill. Or perhaps our representatives don’t want to know what WE want, and are too busy running through their own special interests to care?

From the Hawaii Reporter: http://www.hawaiireporter.com/story.aspx?e0e1b47f-f8a5-454d-997e-26fc9a0dbbd9

The excellent Chris Pala has a great investigative piece in today’s Honolulu Weekly on the “why” of Superferry: “Now that the Hawai‘i Supreme Court has freed them of any obligation to serve the Islands, which has proved to be a money-losing operation, are they going to fetch a better price elsewhere? If they do, was that the main point for building them and bringing them here?”

See the full article at: http://honoluluweekly.com/feature/2009/03/conspiracy-ferry/

To all our friends who have been working so hard on protections for the endangered Palila bird on the Big Island, thanks for continuing to push for the survival of this species!

http://www.honoluluadvertiser.com/article/20090324/BREAKING01/90324021/-1/RSS01?source=rss_breaking

A court filing yesterday accused the state Department of Land and Natural Resources of failing to fully comply with court orders to protect the critically endangered palila bird on the Big Island.

The DLNR had no immediate response to the filing by Earthjustice.

The environmental law firm, which is representing the Hawaii Audubon Society, the National Audubon Society and the Hawaii chapter of the Sierra Club, said three federal court orders dating to 1979 require the state to keep the bird’s critical habitat atop Mauna Kea clear of feral goats and sheep and mouflon sheep.

From Thelma at the Hawaii House Blog from today’s taro festival, put on by the Hawaiian Caucus, KAHEA, and Na Kahu O Haloa:

While watching Monica guide Kat through the traditional process of making poi, and answer questions on the Hawaiian culture, I was reminded of the old ways of teaching and spreading knowledge and appreciation. Not through books. Not through legislation. And definitely not through the internet. But through the experience of sitting next to someone willing and eager to share their knowledge and culture. Someone like Monica.

“I had a dream last night about being here at the Capitol for this event. We were all gathered to pound poi, but instead we started pounding the walls of the building, chipping away at the concrete with each swipe. As the building began to fall away, kalo leaves emerged from the holes,” said Monica Waiau on the excitement she felt to bring taro pounding to the Hawaii State Capitol. “It’s not about bringing down the building, she added, it’s about revitalizing our traditions; unearthing the true value of taro.”

Awesome. Read the full post at the Hawaii House Blog.

From the amazing Hannah Bernard, an invitation to a Maui community event to launch actions that help bring back the health of nearshore waters around Maui.

More Fish in the Sea, A Community Conversation:  E ola ke kai, e ola kakou (As the ocean thrives, so do we)

WHAT: We all want more fish in the sea. How do we make it happen? That is the question we will address in a half day gathering of all segments of the community and a half day work event at a nearshore site to be determined. The results we seek – a community galvanized for practical action to achieve a shared vision: MORE FISH IN THE SEA.

WHEN: April 4, 2009 – 2:00 – 6 pm & FILMFEST 7 – 10pm Sunday April 5, 7:00 am – noon.

WHERE: Maui Community College, Pilina Building and lawn

WHY: Our Earth is truly the ocean planet with more than two thirds of its surface comprised of seawater. The health of our world ocean is paramount for the health of all, but especially for islanders like us who depend on the sea for our sustenance, quality of life, livelihood, well-being and way of life. Yet our oceans are in trouble and our fish are disappearing faster than they are being replaced (>90% of our large fish are gone according to Nature, 5/15/03, to name only one international study). We are calling on everyone to come together to support the healing of our ocean and to work together to return our nearshore waters to thriving health.

HOW: We will join in small group workshops, larger group conversations, and small step action projects to plan together, work together, learn together, and discover how we will change together. We will identify paths forward and begin developing practical concrete steps that individuals, communities, citizens’ groups, businesses, and government can take to help move us toward MORE FISH IN THE SEA.

WHO: Are you an islander? Do you Think Island or want to learn how to? All interested members of the community are invited – fishermen, restaurant owners, dive and snorkel boat operators, the hospitality industry, government representatives, citizens’ and civic groups, ocean scientists, students, communications media, and philanthropists will be invited. A broadly-based steering committee will design an exciting opportunity to talk and learn together, plan together, and act together. The event will be video-taped and we’ll use the resulting video record to help build public awareness of the need for more fish in the sea and what each of us can do to help.

From Marti:

Great news!  S.B. 1088 has a hearing before Chairman Ken Ito (D-Kaneohe) and the House Water, Land, and Ocean Committee.  This hearing may be the biggest hurdle this important bill faces.  So, if you care about improving enforcement of your right to access the beach and mauka recreational areas throughout Hawaii nei, then now is the time to come out.  We need make sure the Representatives do not make any unnecessary changes to the bill, so it is important to ask them to pass this bill as already amended.

The hearing is scheduled for Monday morning, March 23, 2009 at 9:30 am in room 325.

If you can’t attend the hearing, but still want to participate, then click on the link below and take a just a second to personalize your testimony to the Representatives.  Tell them why uphold your constitutional right to reach the beach is so important and deserves improved enforcement.

TAKE ACTION NOW TO PROTECT PUBLIC ACCESS MAUKA-to-MAKAI (this is also where you can find out more about the specifics on this particular bill).

Big mahalos to the Beach Access Hawaii, Hawaii Surfrider Foundation, and the Hawaii Chapter of the Sierra Club for their support in this effort.

Hang Loose!  See you Monday!!

Maui County just unanimously opposed HB1226 GMO preemption bill now at the state legislature.

This bill proposes to forfeit to the federal government the authority of all state and county agencies to regulate and oversee activities related to genetic modification. This means counties will lose their power to regulate any other GMO-activities that occur in their own communities. Unfortunately, there is no federal oversight of GMOs that local governments can rely upon to protect farmers, consumers, or the environment.

Good job to Maui HawaiiSEED, the good Doctor Pang, and the many advocates, scientists and farmers who never fail to deliver the truth! MAHALO PIHA to the Council for setting the precedent!

And mahalo to the State legislators who vocally stood up for County rights and the State Constitution. The dialogue is getting louder and more meaningful, IMUA KAKOU!