08-13-2009, 08:32 AM
Public contracts for construction in Hawaii are a witches brew (no offense to any witches out there) of inside deals, ridiculous union wage scales, cost over-runs that often exceed 75%, and the high cost of materials due to the mid-Pacific location. Only the last of those points has any legitimacy, and sometimes that is taken farther than the simple economics would dictate. Efforts to reform the contracting process have been stymied at every turn by the entrenched triad of good old boy politicians, greedy contractors, and unions. Not all contractors function on this level, however, and we hear good reports on Punawebber Kahunascott's employer. This is exceptional, though.