The association's objective is to strengthen family ties between members and families and provide financial aide to families with a passing member to help ease their burden. A special invitation goes out to the next generation of young, community minded citizens.
The next meeting is July 17 at 6:30 pm at the Mitchell Pau`ole Center conference room. For more information contact Wanda Diorec at 553-5642.
At one time, the superintendent who oversees these workers had a staff of eleven. This number has since dwindled to only five who have had to rely on close teamwork in order to maintain all 18 holes of the course.
Why would the course staff want to destroy their own hard work and the beautiful landscaping at Kaluakoi? One homeowner suggested it was vengeance, and that employees were acting out on their own because of the shut down. Hello! This is property damage and something that this crew would never attempt.
In fact, condo owners residing along hole 17 know about property damage. At one time they took it upon themselves to cut trees that were not on their property to get a better view of the fairway and green.
In light of the popularity that the ranch has been receiving I don’t expect community approval on much that the Ranch is doing. I am however appalled by the actions of the homeowners towards the staff. While a few homeowners have been sympathetic, many have acted out towards the staff yelling and hollering at them.
One resident confronted the backhoe operator that was moving tree trunks and refused to move out of the way. Others have argued for various solutions which just would not have worked.
There are two sides to the story to what happened. The workers are just as much being affected by the cutting of the coconut trees as the homeowners. The employees were under the pressure of a time frame to have things completed. It was explained that the taller trees posed a safety hazard. Since these trees were eventually going to be cut it makes sense that they be utilized to secure accessible areas of the golf course.
Please know that Ranch employees are hard working people who care for the environment as much as anyone on Molokai. Many of us have kept open minds about how to move forward during these difficult times – at this point, your patience and respect can go a long way in helping us toward this goal.
Cathy Kawamae
The boy asks his mother Hina for help. Hina then chants to their ancestor, the coconut tree. She sings, "niu ola hiki”, oh life giving coconut "niu loa hiki”, oh far traveling coconut. Suddenly a coconut sprouts in front of her.
She wakes her son and tells him to climb the tree and hold on, while she continues chanting. The coconut sways and bends, it stretches and grows over the ocean until its crown comes down. At last the strong leaves rest on Kahiki where the boy is reunited with the father.
There are many versions of this mo’olelo but always the coconut tree is pictured as a stretching tree with great mana, bearing the image of Ku, the ancestor of the Hawaiian people.
The coconut tree offers a pathway to another world, and serves as the bridge between man and God, earth and heaven, child and ancestors. This tree is a path to the sacred land and therefore the staff of life.
“After 111 years bearing the name of Molokai Ranch, no mahalos and no aloha ’oe” wrote Napua Leong in a recent letter to the editor. Instead, on April 9th at 6:30 in the morning, residents of Kepuhi were awakened to the sound of chainsaws cutting down the West End’s largest and only stand of coconut trees. Almost thirty healthy and mature trees cut in two days.
I spoke to residents on the West End over the course of a couple of days. Through those events my eyes were opened as I came to understand the connection which most of these folks have for these majestic trees.
For most, the senseless removal of something so beautiful was more than they could bear. Just as it is with the loss of a loved one, it was a sense of permanent absence etched in the hearts of the people.
Suddenly after so many years these trees were no more. Why?
This intentional reckless act by Molokai Ranch wasn’t only about cutting trees; it was about going after the heart and soul of the people. Similar to the firing of Ranch employees, the intent was to take something valuable away from the people. The intent was to break the spirit of our people.
No effort was ever put out to communicate with the community as to how to deal with what the Ranch claimed as “liabiity issues.” The intent, as one resident stated, was about intimidation, retribution, and getting a pound of flesh from an island that did not support MPL’s overreaching plan. What’s worse, many of those who supported Molokai Ranch were the ones most victimized.
On April 9, I think most of us had hoped that the Ranch employees working that day would have walked off. But the real blame lies with Peter Nicholas who ordered workers to do his dirty work. Ranch employees were faced with the possibility of their finances being reduced even further should they have refused to cooperate.
Large offshore businesses controlling the conscience and will of their employees is a curse. Can you imagine the Kanemitsu or Egusa family ever assuming this kind of immoral authority? Of course not! They, their children and their grandchildren are a part of this community.
We must learn from the mistakes of the past and in looking forward, we as a community, are the one’s responsible for molding our future. We can no longer rely on those with deep pockets to some how take care of us or assume that they have our interest at heart. It is essential that our children are educated and understand the values of our culture.
These values must be embedded in their na’au so that when the really difficult decisions must be made, they will know which way to go.
Despite the tragedies of the last couple of weeks, Peter Nicholas, John Sabas and the other executives of Molokai Ranch are absolutely wrong. We may be deeply saddened but they will never break our spirit. We are Molokai and despite our differences, We are ‘ohana.
I mua!
Steve Morgan/ Hui Ho’opakele ‘Aina
Special mahalo to the family, Jimmy's friends at Wailana Coffee House, and Kamehameha Canoe Club
Molokai Ranch communications manager John Sabas said they are cutting "older trees that aren’t doing so well." However, many of the palms, including the one pictured, were bountiful with coconuts, healthy, and thriving.
Destructive measures in the wake of closure.
Photo and Story By Brandon Roberts
Kaluakoi residents awoke Wednesday to the sound of rain and falling coconut palms. Up to 30 trees have been killed to make barriers around the golf course, and this has many Molokai residents wondering why.
“This is just so sad, it looks like a war-zone with all the beautiful trees down,” said Jody Canady, Ke Nani Kai resident of 27 years. “They could have at least had the courtesy to tell us.”
She believes that Molokai Ranch is doing this as retribution for the failure of the La`au development.
Canady's husband Darryl, former president of the West Molokai Association, said that the Ranch shutdown and subsequent hacking of healthy trees has been a “festering, ongoing, and growing situation for many years.” Mrs. Canady added that the horrible situation has hope, “it brings us together in the community.”
The Canady’s echoed many West End residents’ sentiments that what respect the Ranch and Peter Nicholas may have had has all but disappeared. One resident of 18 years said that they should be put in jail.
“When the La`au proposal started, I gave the Ranch the benefit of the doubt, but it divided the community, and when I saw Peter Nicholas get ugly, I said, 'this is not the way a business person should act, this is wrong'. I did not respect the way Nicholas treated the members of the community,” Canady said with sadness.
“Walter Ritte was wonderful today,” Canady said. She made a phone call to Ritte, a community leader against the La`au development, the night before to express her concern and emotions about the destruction on the West End.
Ritte told communications manager John Sabas that he would bring the Ranch all the kiawe trees they wanted to barricade the vacant golf course. However, Sabas reportedly said he preferred to use the coconuts.
“They just don’t care, not one ounce,” expressed an emotional Carol Harms, Kaluakoi resident. She pointed toward a standing group of dead coconut trees wondering why live palms were used instead to make the ineffective barriers.
Historically in Hawaii, it was an act of war and disrespect to cut down coconut palms. The trees are a source of life, producing food, water, shade, and holding precious land from erosion.
The Hawaiian Division of Conservation and Resource Enforcement said it was on private property and out of their jurisdiction.
"The Ranch is lacking aloha," said Representative Mele Carroll. "It is not about private property, this is our home. It shows where their heart is."
Meanwhile, in Maunaloa, the swimming pool at The Lodge, which just last week held blue waters and happy vacationers, is now full of sand. The Lodge itself has been wrapped in hog fencing, and many now wonder if this is a new definition of “mothballing”.
Many questions arise as to the legality of recent Ranch activities. Did the Ranch need permits for these actions? The back-filling of the pool and the chopping of a healthy Norfolk pine next to the Lodge to clear a path for a dump truck to access the pool, as well as the killing of vibrant coconut palms are all questionable. Many on Molokai are empty and in pain, wondering what motives and intent the Ranch has behind their destructive and disrespectful actions.
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Fight to preserve Molokai remains the same, 20 years later.
In 1988, a mystery writer who called himself Captain Molokai, began writing a regular column in the Molokai Dispatch. The author wrote editorials that were as honest and factual as they were outspoken and critical of corporate control of Molokai land. Two decades later, this individual still lives on Molokai and continues his fight to keep Molokai, Molokai.
Although the following Captain Molokai article was written more than 20 years ago, its message more than applies to present day concerns on Molokai.
Aloha! I’m Captain Molokai. I’ve been on Molokai longer than most people would believe, and I’ve come to the conclusion that Molokai is the best place in the United States, maybe the world, to live, work and raise a family.
There is a lot of love, a lot of caring; a lot of sharing; a lot of spiritual energy; a lot of neighbor helping neighbor; and a lot of other good things we value but sometimes take for granted.
You hear a lot of talk about jobs and progress, but most of that talk doesn’t focus on the quality of those jobs, how many jobs are needed, or what progress means to Molokai, and what impact that progress has on the current lifestyle that families enjoy so much.
What does progress mean on Molokai? Does it mean haphazard uncontrolled growth? One hotel? 5 hotels? A traffic light? A Burger King? More condos? More Crime? An exclusive country club playground for the world’s rich and famous?
Progress on Molokai, some say means controlled growth at the local level; preserving community traditions; creating a more diverse economy; promoting better and more meaningful job situations; maintaining affordable housing for future generations; protecting our ocean and other natural resources; and providing our children with higher education opportunities.
The three basic groups that Capt. Molokai is referring to are: 1. BIG FOREIGN LAND OWNERS: This group includes Molokai Ranch, Tokyo Kosan, Bishop Estate, and the boys from New York that bought Murphy Ranch. 2. A FEW MOLOKAI LANDOWNERS AND BUSINESSES. 3. NEWCOMERS TO MOLOKAI: These are the ones who come to Molokai and say they are in love with the Friendly Isle. However, as soon as they get here they want to change Molokai so they can enjoy many of the conveniences they had on the mainland.
At this point, the strategies of what I see as three basic, self-serving groups with their own agendas are to 1) develop plans they intend to pursue with token input from the Molokai community; 2) build support for those plans away from Molokai by using their influence, or “connected” high priced lawyers, to lobby the Governor and State agencies on Oahu or the Mayor and County Department heads on Maui; and 3) once everything is in place, then come back to Molokai and use the old “divide and conquer” routine which is to throw a few crumbs or some money to a few people or groups on Molokai in an effort to buy support for their project knowing that community members will end up fighting among each other.
Capt. Molokai is not anti-growth; he’s just concerned with who is going to determine Molokai’s growth rate, and how that growth will be allowed to impact those unique tangible and intangible values that Molokai is still lucky enough to have.
Don’t sell out for the quick fix. It hasn’t worked in the past and it won’t work now.
The various Molokai factions, and those community members who have something to say but tend not to get involved, are all going to have to come together and agree on where they want the community to go, and make that position known real clear to the big-time guys rollin’ into Molokai. If the community doesn’t take the lead, then the aggressive investor groups will inherit the power to determine the direction of Molokai’s future based on their values, and not our values.
4000 Re-useable shopping bags free at Earthday event.
Looking at similar projects on Maui, Office and Projects Manager for the Molokai-Lanai Soil and Water Conservation Debbie Kelly brought the project request to the County.
With a team of Molokai based folks, Kelly came up with the logo and design for the face of the bag. The county worked with Debbie to design the back) educational panel to appeal specifically to Molokai folks.
Hana Steel: Recycling Coordinator, County of Maui at 808-270-7847
"Treat the Earth well. It was not given to you by your parents. It was
loaned to you by your children." (Kenyan Proverb)
Airport Post Office to Remain Open Until 8 p.m.
The Airport Post Office will remain open until 8 p.m.in order to accommodate customers who need to purchase stamps or special services. All other offices will be closing at their normal times.
All mail deposited by midnight in collection boxes labeled with a special bright orange sign indicating Tax Mail Drop – Final Pick-Up Midnight will receive Apr. 15 postmarks.
Due to the declining numbers of citizens who submit their returns by mail (the IRS estimates that 57 percent of all federal tax returns will be filed electronically this year) the Postal Service has discontinued its tradition of providing curbside service to last-second filers of federal tax returns at its drive-by collection boxes.
The Postal Service provides the following friendly reminders regarding the mailing of tax returns:
Not all boxes will be collected late - If you are mailing your return in a blue collection box or a drop slot at the post office, be sure to check the schedule for the last collection time. Except in specially marked boxes at designated locations (see above list), returns deposited after the last collection time will not receive Apr. 15 postmarks.
Beat the rush, mail early - Mail your tax returns early in the day. Post Offices typically become very congested in the late afternoon and evening on the tax day deadline.
· Ensure proper postage - Be sure to check that adequate postage is applied to your tax return. First-Class postage for one ounce is 41 cents. Weigh any return that feels heavier than one ounce. Add 17 cents for each additional ounce up to 13 ounces. Heavier pieces go Priority Mail. Check the Postal Service web site at www.usps.gov for a postage rate calculator. Tax agencies do not accept postage due mail; tax returns bearing insufficient postage will be returned—meaning taxpayers may be penalized for filing late tax returns.
· Ensure proper addressing - Use pre-addressed labels where possible. Write clearly. Take special care to ensure that handwritten envelopes are legible. Include a return address. Make sure that bulky envelopes are securely sealed.
Heavy packages require personal drop off - Mail with postage paid by postage stamps (as opposed to postage meter strips) that weighs more than 16 ounces must be presented in person to a clerk at a Post Office. Returns meeting this description that are deposited in collection boxes will be returned to their senders.
Tax forms not available at Post Offices - Most Post Offices do not carry tax forms; only the most basic forms are available in Post Offices that do. Suggestion: Check out the IRS’s web site for downloadable forms.
Please Note: For broadcast quality video and audio, photo stills and other media resources, visit the USPS Newsroom at www.usps.com/news.
Agencies come together for the island’s future.
By Brandon Roberts
In the wake of the Molokai Ranch closure, the Friendly Isle’s economic future rests in the hands of the community. State, county, and local representatives were brought together to find short and long-term approaches to economic stability, and assist the Ranch employees.
The Molokai Action Team (MAT) was created by Governor Linda Lingle and facilitated by Abbey Mayer, the newly appointed Director of the Hawaii Office of Planning. MAT held its first meeting, which was open to the public, April 7 at Kulana `Oiwi.
“The function of this group is not to be dictating to Molokai what should happen,” Mayer explained. “What happens here must be from the bottom up.”
The team consists of 13 state, county, and community officials, and their kuleana is workforce development and job creation for Molokai. The Ranch, whose actions lead to the team's conception, declined to participate in the meetings.
“The main advantages I see this action team bringing are collaborations among different levels of the community and government,” Mayer said, relying on community leaders for public outreach.
Maui County Councilman Danny Mateo believes the success of MAT begins with the inclusion of the Molokai residents. Mateo believes Molokai should be the piko of Hawaiian agriculture. He suggested the state look at relocating the Department of Agriculture to Molokai.
“We need to offer a hand up, not a hand out,” Mateo said, emphasizing that many unfilled county jobs have already been funded.
Homesteader Walter Ritte and OHA trustee Colette Machado both agreed that the state must be transparent in their inter-agency actions, as well as their dealings with the Ranch. Mayer concurred that MAT is currently limited without more information from the Ranch.
“This is a way to bring the community back together,” said Representative Mele Carroll. “We need to start healing.” She concurred with Mayer and Mateo that a viable, acceptable plan must be created and engaged by the community.
Rep. Carroll feels very positive about the meeting, yet she is worried about Ranch employees, especially those with mortgages, health care needs, and families. “We have very resourceful people on the team; my focus is on the implementation.”
She is also very interested in following ideas presented by the Molokai Livestock Cooperative general manager, and Ho`olehua homesteader, Kammy Purdy. The Co-op has shelves ready to be stocked, and would like to use fenced homestead lands to raise cattle. Molokai Ranch has 500 head of cattle that will soon be homeless.
Senator J. Kalani English said there are immediate solutions that do not need legislative action. English created the Emergency Environmental Work Force and believes it can be partnered with the Nature Conservancy, and other organizations, to provide instantaneous island employment.
“There is a genuine sense of just what is at stake,” English said. “What is on the table is the ability to deliver.”
MAT will meet again, May 5, at 11 a.m. in the DHHL conference room at Kulana `Oiwi.
The team consists of Senator J. Kalani English, Representative Mele Carroll, OHA trustee Colette Machado, Jo-ann Ridao (Office of the Mayor), Councilman Danny Mateo, Henry Oliva (Department of Human Services), Ray Foster (Monsanto), Stacy Crivello (Molokai Enterprise Community), Barbara Kalipi (QLCC), Kammy Purdy (Ho`olehua Homestead Association), Barbara Haliniak (Molokai Chamber of Commerce), Janice Kalanihuia (Governor’s Molokai Community Advisory Council), and Jimmy Duvauchelle (Maunaloa ‘Ohana Community Association).
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