07-10-2017, 03:57 AM
Are Puna and Kau being discriminated against? Jen Ruggles thinks so, especially when it comes to basic human services.
From Civil Beat at:
http://www.civilbeat.org/2017/07/chad-bl...p/#respond
Where in part it says:
Jennifer “Jen” Ruggles, a Hawaii County Councilwoman, said she wanted to “start a conversation” when she introduced a resolution this spring asking her eight colleagues to acknowledge there had been a history of government discrimination in her district, and to consider doing something about it.
What she got instead was a near unanimous rejection last month by the County Council of Resolution 205, the second and probably last time the measure will be heard.
Ruggles said she is disappointed, but that at least Big Island residents and their representatives talked publicly about what she says are serious problems in Puna and Kau.
Her District 5 covers the western portion of Puna, including Keaau, Mountain View, Glenwood, Hawaiian Acres, Opihikau, Kalapana, Kaimu, Kehena and the mauka area of Pahoa.
Kau is part of District 6 (Volcano Village, Hawaiian Orchid Island Estates, Pahala, Punaluu, Naalehu, South Point, Ocean View, Milolii, Hookena, Honaunau, Captain Cook and parts of of Kealakekua) and borders District 5.
“We don’t have access to clean and safe water, we have no wastewater sewage treatment in all of Puna in terms of commercially zoned land, we don’t have an infrastructure for basic business development, and there is not adequate internet and cell phone service,” said Ruggles. “My goal is to have an equitable level of services in terms of basic human needs.”
But her colleagues, while admitting that rural areas need help, found the resolution “unnecessarily divisive,” “unproductive” and “offensive,” the Hawaii Tribune-Herald reported.
Some council members “appeared worried that discrimination was being used as the cause for limited public services of all types in Puna or Kau,” the paper reported.
In Ruggles’ view, the resolution, if passed, would “send a strong message” to the people making the decisions about the region, namely, county and state department heads.
More, much more, at link above...
From Civil Beat at:
http://www.civilbeat.org/2017/07/chad-bl...p/#respond
Where in part it says:
Jennifer “Jen” Ruggles, a Hawaii County Councilwoman, said she wanted to “start a conversation” when she introduced a resolution this spring asking her eight colleagues to acknowledge there had been a history of government discrimination in her district, and to consider doing something about it.
What she got instead was a near unanimous rejection last month by the County Council of Resolution 205, the second and probably last time the measure will be heard.
Ruggles said she is disappointed, but that at least Big Island residents and their representatives talked publicly about what she says are serious problems in Puna and Kau.
Her District 5 covers the western portion of Puna, including Keaau, Mountain View, Glenwood, Hawaiian Acres, Opihikau, Kalapana, Kaimu, Kehena and the mauka area of Pahoa.
Kau is part of District 6 (Volcano Village, Hawaiian Orchid Island Estates, Pahala, Punaluu, Naalehu, South Point, Ocean View, Milolii, Hookena, Honaunau, Captain Cook and parts of of Kealakekua) and borders District 5.
“We don’t have access to clean and safe water, we have no wastewater sewage treatment in all of Puna in terms of commercially zoned land, we don’t have an infrastructure for basic business development, and there is not adequate internet and cell phone service,” said Ruggles. “My goal is to have an equitable level of services in terms of basic human needs.”
But her colleagues, while admitting that rural areas need help, found the resolution “unnecessarily divisive,” “unproductive” and “offensive,” the Hawaii Tribune-Herald reported.
Some council members “appeared worried that discrimination was being used as the cause for limited public services of all types in Puna or Kau,” the paper reported.
In Ruggles’ view, the resolution, if passed, would “send a strong message” to the people making the decisions about the region, namely, county and state department heads.
More, much more, at link above...