Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 11, Number 2, 1 ʻAukake 1994 — Our Readers Write [ARTICLE]

Our Readers Write

Uphold laws of the land Hawai'i would be more of the paradise that locals and tourists want if the entrenched power structure would simply uphold the laws of the land. State lands, the beach reserves of Kīhei, Maui, are being set up for adverse possession because the Department of Land and Natural Resources has not upheld our access rights to the oeean nor the integrity of historic sites. More than five acres of ceded lands have been landscaped by the pricy condominiums whose owners are predominantly nonresidents. Where there are permits in our impoverished state to the $2 mil-lion-an-acre property, a permit for

one-third of an acre costs the Mana Kai Maui $1,212 annually. However, the Mana Kai Maui uses ceded lands for parking and its dumpster — for free. Overburdened taxpayers and OHA could use the revenues. What's the price for Kīhei Surfside's illegal dump, and what's the fine for the cultural site they bulldoze? On Hawai'i are there still locked gates along Hilo Bay that block a stroll along the coast? On O'ahu is there still the eleetronic gate blocking access to Maunawili via the old government road, and where the developers illegally bulldozed cultural sites and the stream? Hawaiians would have the

money to build homes for themselves and the public, begin the eeonomie base of our nation, if the state would simply uphold Section 203 of the Hawaiian Homes Commission Act, whieh is part of the compact of statehood and in our state constitution. When the sugar leases expire, the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands ean request those "available lands" and develop them! (Use these) prime lands instead of going along with the fraud of receiving one-third of the value of raw land. Lela Hubbard 'Aiea, O'ahu