Postponing/canceling Merrie Monarche

[TomK]

"I see your letter was posted today, I thought you lived in Volcano."

I see no point in expecting a reply. Yes, hokuili has trolled PW under various guises but the fact that the Merry Monarch is currently going ahead is a much greater concern. Hilo has had two cruise ships visit in the last two days with their passengers and crew visiting all sorts of places on the island. The Merry Monarch Festival will have many more visiting from all over the world, all in close contact and visiting shops, bars and restaurants in Hilo as well as all congregating together in hotels.

Carrying on with the festival is clearly not the right thing to do during a pandemic, especially one that encourages international travel to Hawaii.

[jrw]

I think this the best thing to do for now for community I think everything would be safe but it is not a life shaking changing thing. I thinks a lot of people would fell safer.

jrw

[ironyak]

https://www.bigislandvideonews.com/2020/...cancelled/
"Mayor Harry Kim told the Hawai'i County Council on Wednesday during an impromptu briefing on the global coronavirus outbreak that he already met with Merrie Monarch Festival organizers to discuss the possibility of having to cancel the annual Hilo event, and that a decision will have to made soon."

[randomq]

At this point the virus has to be spreading here. Having Merry Monarch would not only accelerate the spread, but infect visitors from other Polynesian islands that have even less healthcare capacity than we do.

[HereOnThePrimalEdge]

Polynesian islands...

Most Pacific islands have had travel restrictions in place for over a week already:
https://slate.com/technology/2020/03/mic...l-ban.html

[rainyjim]

It usually takes people ‘in charge’ here a little while longer (understatement) than elsewhere in the states. When you see events like SXSW getting cancelled it’s likely Merrie Monarch will be as well, it’ll just take an incompetent amount of time to get around to announcing the decision is all.

[Guest]

Congress has just shut the US Capital..

https://apnews.com/e7b9d39fd06ed228e7b406d921dd8417

But hey, the Merrie Monarch? Nah.. the show must go on...

The saddest part of this is to watch Harry, our leader, wallow in his inability to lead.

[ironyak]

https://www.hawaiinewsnow.com/2020/03/13...rus-fears/

"The Merrie Monarch Festival, the biggest stage for hula in the world, will be canceled this year because of the ongoing coronavirus pandemic."

[TomK]

About bloody time. It's going to suck for the local hotels etc., but it would be bordering on criminal if it went ahead.