NEW SUPERFERRY LAW SETS NEW PRECEDENT
Honolulu Advertiser - November 7, 2007
Do precedent-setting decisions mean anything?
In law, it's a "judicial decision that may be used as a standard in subsequent similar cases - (as in) a landmark decision that set a legal precedent."
It seems as though a large number of people on Kaua`i and Maui were concerned about circumvention of Hawai`i's environmental laws, while Gov. Linda Lingle, who championed Hawai`i's sustainability a few short months ago, assisted the Superferry in going around those same laws.
And that sets a precedent.
If you don't like Hawai`i's laws just convince the governor, or whoever is in charge, to see things your way and compliance isn't necessary.
As Jeff Mikulina said in his press release on Oct. 31, "If a three-decade old environmental law is scrapped for a single company, how are we to expect lasting policy decisions that sustain Hawai`i's future?"
C. Douglas Kouka Allen
Wai`anae
