Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 17, Number 6, 1 June 2000 — Mayor insensitive [ARTICLE]

Mayor insensitive

There has been a lot of fingerpointing when it comes to the unceremonious removal of Hawaiian remains ffom the pipe-laying eonstmction job on Kalākaua Ave. in Waikīkī. The city knew that there were ancient Hawaiian burial sites under certain sections of Kalākaua Ave., but for matters of expediency, the Board of Water Supply was allowed to go ahead and dig up and recover those sacred bones, as the

workers eame to them. The city hoped the Hawaiian community would not react. Big mistake! At subsequent investigative meetings, Harris claimed the city was not responsible and he blamed the Board of Water Supply. Mr. Mayor, it was the city who issued the Board of Water Supply the permits to go ahead with the project. If things were done right, those burial sites would have been identified and proper removal done. Sure, it might have taken more time. But the right way is the only way with this sensitive issue. So what if the traffic on Kalākaua would have been tied up a little longer. Steven T. Kalani Burke Pearl City