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If this list is passed, then the entire island of Hawaii will have only
1 Agricultural Officer. This is going to effect so many businesses and allow even more alien predators onto our island. Our islands may no longer stay Snake free because of this proposed layoff of agricultural officers. I would guess, that it will also effect our food availability as well as the farmers market. What are they thinking?
Here is the list I found.
http://kgmb9.com/main/content/view/20182/76/
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Aloha Whalesong. I'm so glad to see some attention given to this matter. How on earth can so few inspectors service our State? I wonder if Linda Lingle will contract from outside of Hawaii much like other contracting she has done. She wants to privatize everything.
I am one of many who are part of the RIF. My last day will be November 13th. I will miss my job and coworkers. I know they will miss me. They already have a huge workload.
Carrie Rojo
http://www.carrierojo.etsy.com
"You and I must make a pact, we must bring salvation back
Where there is love, I'll be there." MJ
Carrie Rojo
"Even the smallest person can change the course of the future..." Galadriel LOTR
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This reminds me of a company I knew in Virginia in the late 1970's. They did bill board screen printing. Big stuff. There was a massive recession in the late 70's initiated by OPEC. Anyway. This screen company laid off eleven employees. All they had left were the partner owners and one foreman. They went from a staff of fourteen to three.
What was most interesting was that with fourteen people they were grossing about $300k a month. With three people they were grossing about $220k a month.
The business went from marginal to profitable due to hard economic times.
Lord knows I don't expect such an improvement from our state or county government. They are not that smart and they don't have their economic butts on the line.
I guess my moral is Don't Believe Everything You Think, or Hear, or Read.
Assume the best and ask questions.
Punaweb moderator
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When I was a manpower analyst in the Army, it was "Spaces, not faces". Of course, we didn't have unions dictating and it sure didn't get media coverage. I seriously doubt we'll have a clue what the State of HI actually cuts until it's over (and too late).
Think positive - you can survive a RIF. Sophie did, but then she only had about 15 years service. Damn, she could have retired last year. Oh wait, that would mean we probably wouldn't be here.
David
Ninole Resident
Ninole Resident
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As certified nursery owners who regularly ship plants to the mainland, this is a disaster. If there are no Plant Quarantine folks to do our semi-annual certification, then we can no longer ship without a stop at PQ in Honolulu. At that point, the plants will be unpacked, inspected, and surely not re-packed with sufficient care to ensure their safe arrival. Plus, add the time, and the plants will be additionally stressed.
The other major concern here is obviously on the receiving end -- our islands are just to kind to invasive species. If you could check out the list of what shipments of plants and produce that are intercepted completely infested with bugs, you'd be amazed.
Plant Quarantine inspectors are not optional -- they are absolutely necessary. Extremely poor choice of where to cut the budget.
Jane
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it moves jobs to Honolulu, and gives farms on Oahu a competitive advantage
