Economic Development Candidate

[Bob Orts]

Who is the candidate that will be able to bring the diversification of industry the Big Island so desperately need? As many realize that tourism isn't the answer and the only thing in the wings is the military, time has come for people to realize that the Big Island needs strong economic development. People can continue holding out hope for some magical spirit of love to put food on the plate, have a roof over their head, have money for health insurance, be able to buy gas, afford to buy cloths, and plain old have a jobs. I believe Billy Kenoi is the most viable candidate to bring real economic reform to the Big Island and bring REAL meaningful employment to the people.

[james weatherford]

Actually, Bob, what Kenoi has said is that tourism and construction are the way to go -- more of the same that has gotten us into the unsustainable situation we are in now.
Angel Pilago has committed to a diversified local economy, that expands to include agriculture -- an economy for, by, and of the local community.

James Weatherford, Ph.D.
15-1888 Hialoa
Hawaiian Paradise Park

[Jon]

LOL... planned economy have worked so well in the past...


Transplanted Texan
"I am here to chew bubble gum and kick some *** ... and I'm all out of bubble gum"

[Bob Orts]

quote:

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Originally posted by james weatherford

Angel Pilago has committed to a diversified local economy, that expands to include agriculture -- an economy for, by, and of the local community.

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Agriculture? This is a joke correct? Hawaii can not sustain an economy based on agriculture no matter what people want to believe.

The only option Hawaii has is to use the only real resource that it can rely upon, and that's the fact that it is a tropical island with certain features. It's Hawaii's beauty and location that is its only selling point because facts are facts, Hawaii can not compete financially with any product of service that is not tied to Hawaii as Hawaii.

Right now Hawaii has only 4 industries that comprise the vast majority of its sustainable economic position.
1. Tourism. If the entire tourism industry collapses, you can kiss off Hawaii.
2. Military. We may talk all we want about the military but without it, Hawaii is dead.
3. Government. Yep the State and County governments are #3 in scale, but remove 1 & 2 and this will shrink.
4. Made in Hawaii. If it wasn't for that phrase, nothing produced on Hawaii is worth the cost over something from Hong Kong. Hawaii's only value in agriculture is the "product of Hawaii" label.
Everything else depends on one of the four!

So, we can talk about sustainability, green this or that, aloha, holding hands and singing Kum-by-ya, but face the music, Hawaii can not survive without tourism and the military. Take those two away and this place will become just another third world tropical island with people abandoning it like rats from a sinking ship. Creating a job here and there on some farm or research project is not going to employ the people who need jobs.

So, unless we have a leader who's willing to look beyond the land and look into the boardrooms of corporate America to attract their business of conventions, meetings and travel, unless you have a leader willing to work with developers to attract the rich home owners who pump real dollars into a community versus trading papayas, unless you have a real leader willing to fight for the Big Island's share of the tourist trade and the military dollars; unless you have a leader like Billy, this island will become just another Haiti.

[Rob Tucker]

Yep. More of the same. Thats the way I read it too.

We can't know for any fact that Mr. Kenoi has made promises to mainland or local developers in exchange for the hundreds of thousands of dollars received. I do have to wonder though - just what does one say to a California developer to make them open their checkbook and write a check for $2,000?

There is historic reason to be suspicious.

Lawyers are lawyers. They are trained to be the mouthpieces or representatives of their clientele. It would be somewhat unnatural for them to do otherwise. Hawaiian government is a classic example of special interest manipulation of government. Honolulu is the environment where Mr. Kenoi learned his trade. I frankly have concerns that Mr. Kenoi is looking at CoH as a stepping stone back to Honolulu where the Big Boys get to do their stuff.

Of course this is not proof of anything. But believe me it makes me quite concerned.

When Mr. Kenoi indicates that his connections with Inouye will help us get money for transportation I have to ask:

Why didn't he already accomplish this over several years in a key position in the Kim administration?


When Mr. Kenoi states that the huge budget overruns in Public Works (millions of dollars) can be controlled by close legal supervision of the contracts:

Why didn't he already accomplish this with his highly educated legal skills this over several years in a key position in the Kim administration?

Why were these millions wasted while Mr. Kenoi was on duty?

What I see in Mr. Kenoi is simply business as usual. To achieve business as usual one need not promise to do much of anything.

And Mr. Kenoi hasn’t.

[punafish]

Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results--Albert Einstein

I'm not sold on Mr. Pilago's economic policies, but at least I know that repeating the past will definitely give us the same results we have today. We need a visionary leader. Pilago strikes me as more visionary than Kenoi, but this is just my personal opinion.

Let's consider the 4 choices Bob listed:

1. Tourism: Yes, we need tourism, but we also need a plan to wean ourselves away from our TOTAL DEPENDENCY on tourism. (Ya know, like oil.) This doesn't mean we slam the door on tourism, it means we find ways to grow the pie and diversify in other areas. Neither candidate inspires confidence on this front.

2. Military: Pick whomever for mayor, it's here to stay

3. Government: Perhaps I'm misreading Bob's message so I'll ask for clarification here: Is big government a good thing because it provides "jobs"? If not, does the mayor (any mayor) of Hawaii have the power to shrink government?

4. Made in Hawaii: this is the one value-added dimension Hawaii really hasn't tapped into to its fullest. Does Kenoi have the imagination? Does Pilago?

A question to Kenoi supporters: What does Mr. Kenoi propose to do (economically) other than maintain the status quo?

A question to Pilago supporters: What does Mr. Pilago propose to do to diversify Hawaii's economy and how?

On the one hand, I respect Bob's realism (even when it drips with sarcasm). On the other hand, I believe in the power of human creativity to solve problems that seem impossible. (I guess this is where we hold hands and sing Kumbaya.)

Farming is important to Hawaii, even if it proves to be a drop in Hawaii's economic bucket. Jobs aside, it has the potential to empower, to feed people at a (potentially) lower cost and, at the very least, REDUCE our dependence on imported food.

And why shouldn't we explore alternative energy sources?

Should we stop trying to expand our farm base and develop alternative energy sources because someone says sustainability is impossible?

At this juncture, Pilago seems the better choice. But it might end up being a wash...

[Rob Tucker]

You state this nicely Punafish:

I have forwarded your questions to Angel Pilago and hope to have some reply for you soon. Angel has a tough schedule with council and campaign.

Be patient. I will try to expedite some answers. I think it better to hear from Angel than from me.

[james weatherford]

Actually, we hold hands and sing Hawai'i Aloha

Try it, you'll like it. People do it every day!

Bob comments are certainly sarcastic, but not realistic.
Sounds like he is still living in 1962.



James Weatherford, Ph.D.
15-1888 Hialoa
Hawaiian Paradise Park

[Jon]

The people that shaped 1962 are in power now... thus we have some problems...

oh wait... it is 1962 in Hawaii... what was I thinking..



Transplanted Texan
"I am here to chew bubble gum and kick some *** ... and I'm all out of bubble gum"

[Bob Orts]

quote:

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Originally posted by james weatherford

Bob comments are certainly sarcastic, but not realistic.
Sounds like he is still living in 1962.

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Well, that may very well be. But it is MY OPINION.

What do you have to offer in the way of real (not some theoretical research project) in the way of brining actual jobs and/or an economic boost to the Big Island?

What does your chosen candidates offer in this area?