FORMER OFFICE OF HAWAIIAN AFFAIRS TRUSTEE SPEAKS OUT AGAINST SUPERFERRY
There seems to be no limit to what they'll do to make corporate profiteers comfortable!
Is it not a crime to override two court decisions, both the State Supreme and lower court, and call a special session of the State Legislature to cater to arrogant Superferry Corporation owners?
The uncaring Hawai`i State Government has refused to protect our 'aina (land) and ocean, and has circumvented the requirement that the law be followed with an EIS (Environmental Impact Statement)....
Yet Kaua`i people who felt "backed against the wall" by the cavalier attitude of Superferry and the State going against the Supreme Court ruling are being chastised and accused of lacking the Aloha Spirit for their practice of Aloha `Aina (love of land) and for protecting their `aina and homes on Kaua`i....
The Governor's proposed "Unified Command" threatens protesters with a Coast Guard flotilla - this smacks of police state tactics.
Those citizens who question and protest these proceedings are further intimidated with the threat of child endangerment charges should their surfer teenager end up as part of the protest.
This Superferry gang and Governor Lingle will apparently go to any legal and extra legal lengths to undermine Judge Cardoza and the State Supreme Court's prudent rulings....
We don't want the urbanization, concrete jungle and freeway traffic jams of `Oahu....
The Superferry President and CEO, John Garibaldi, had already stated that they will not go slower than 37 knots (over 42 mph or about 60 ft per second.)
This is twice as fast as any current large ocean going vessel within these Islands.
The Superferry's route is within Maui's whale calving waters and is sure to slash and kill any whale on impact with the Catamaran's knife like hulls, according to expert testimony in Judge Cardoza's court.
It is not that we are against the Superferry and having alternative transportation between our Islands - we are positively against Superferry and the State Administration not protecting us - the People - and our natural resources.
Instead of following the law regarding Superferry the Legislature and Governor changed it at a whim for CORPORATE interests!
Moanikeala Akaka is a Native Hawaiian woman whose roots have been in Hawai`i for over 1200 years. She is a former Office of Hawaiian Affairs Trustee.
