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Ranch Ordered to Continue Water Supply

Thursday, July 31st, 2008

State orders county to step-up utility take-over.

By Zalina Alvi

The state has made its move in the West End water situation, ordering Molokai Properties Limited’s (MPL) Utilities to continue services for at least 90 days, and the county to begin preparations for taking over water and wastewater services.

The orders are part of the state’s efforts to make sure water and wastewater services continue on the West End following MPL’s announcement that it would discontinue services to 1,200 residents on Aug. 31 due to the utility companies suffering “substantial losses.”

In response, the county has requested that the DOH cancel the order, arguing that it has no grounds or legal authority to do so. The county has also begun the process to hire former Attorney General Margery Bronster for a potential cost of $100,000.

Orders to accept responsibility
“The Department of Health is exercising its authority to order immediate action to protect the public health from an imminent and substantial danger if the services are stopped,” said Laurence Lau, DOH deputy director for environmental health, in a July 21 news release.

According to the DOH, orders to the county are meant to give them time to figure out how to take over if the “essential services” and when the Utilities walk out.

The county’s preparations may include a physical assessment of the operations staff training and figuring out staffing needs.

The orders also require both the Utilities and the county to submit written reports on their progress to the DOH every seven days, effective immediately.

After the 90 days are over on Oct. 18, the DOH can review the status of the orders and decide if they should continue, or if other solutions must be explored.

“Our priority is to ensure uninterrupted water and wastewater service for the health and safety of the people of Molokai,” said Governor Linda Lingle in the news release. “While the county has the primary responsibility to operate and maintain public utilities, the state is prepared to assist the county.”

County Response
One day after the orders were released, the state department held a hearing in Honolulu for the companies and the county to present their arguments before a DOH Hearings Officer.

County Deputy Corporation Counsel Jane E. Lovell requested that orders be cancelled, arguing that the DOH has no legal authority to “require that the county bail out a private utility company, particularly one whose parent company seeks to retain all of its assets while passing on its liabilities onto the county’s taxpayers.”

“We have established through the testimonies of Department of Health witnesses that the county is not in violation of state law and so therefore the orders against the county should be dismissed,” Lovell said in a news release

However, Lovell has commented that the county is willing to provide assistance in the event that the Utilities do walk out.

“We are not going to abandon the Molokai residents,” Mayor Tavares said at a County water meeting held on Molokai earlier this month.

In a recent statement, Senator J. Kalani English, who represents Molokai, agreed with the county and condemned the orders. He argued that the state is setting a “dangerous precedent” and that forcing the county to take over the responsibilities of a business that has decided to “take its profits and abandon the people of Molokai adds insult to injury.”

Both MPL and the county also made note during the hearing that the DOH did not provide enough time for them to prepare since the orders were issued less than 24 hours before the hearing. The county made a request that the case be dismissed in reaction to the lack of evidence provided by the Attorney General’s office and MPL on July 22.

The hearing has been postponed until July 30, when it will resume in Honolulu.

Maui News recently reported that Lovell asked to have the hearing held on Molokai, or at least on Maui, but her request was denied, apparently because it would be too difficult for state officials.

Not the state’s kuleana
In a July 21 letter to Mayor Charmaine Tavares from Gov. Lingle, the governor expressed disappointment that the county had not “taken more affirmative steps in regard to its responsibilities.”

The letter, which placed the responsibility of maintaining water and wastewater services to the 1,200 West End residents on the shoulders of the county, quoted previous comments made by the Public Utilities Commission’s that share its views.

“I believe the county not only has the primary responsibility to ensure continued provision of water and wastewater services to the public, but is also best staffed, equipped and capable of doing so at the lowest cost to the residents of Molokai for the long-term,” Gov. Lingle wrote.

The governor went on to cite excerpts from the Hawaii Revised Statutes §46-1.5 outlining the county’s power to “establish and maintain waterworks and sewer works: to collect rates for water supplied to customers and for the use of sewers.

She also cited a passage that explained that the county’s board of water supply “shall manage, control, and operate the waterworks of the county and all property thereof, for the purpose of supplying water to the public in the county.”

In response to the mayor’s request that she declare a state of emergency, Gov. Lingle went on to say she was “carefully considering whether the use of emergency powers may be appropriate.”

She noted, however, that if she were to declare a state of emergency, it may simply result in the Governor’s Office directing county agencies, officers and employees to take care of the situation themselves

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Roughing the Channel

Wednesday, July 30th, 2008

Molokai paddler takes first at Ka`iwi Channel race.


Dynamic racing duo, cousins Ekolu and Dave Kalama came in with the fastest overall time in the 2008 QuicksilverEdition Paddleboard Race. This is their third consecutive win in the SUP team division.

By Jennifer Smith

While some refer to crossing the Ka`iwi Channel as a “joy ride,” others see it as one of the greatest physical challenges they will ever endure. However, almost all of the competitors in last Sunday’s QuiksilverEdition Paddleboard Race agreed that crossing the finish line on Oahu is an achievement that merits bragging rights.

“It’s considered the unofficial world championship race,” said Ekolu Kalama, Professional Stand Up Paddleboarder (SUP). Kalama and fellow Friendly Isle native Mele McPherson made local residents proud by representing Molokai in the 32-mile race.

“The Ka`iwi Channel is one of the roughest bodies of water in the ocean … which is what brings it prestige,” said Ekolu, who won first place overall with teammate and cousin Dave Kalama. The multiple variables of wind, waves, and currents multiply the difficulty of the race.

However, the risk seems to only add to the thrill for many competitors. Now in its 12th year, the race from Molokai’s Kaluakoi Beach to Oahu’s Koko Head continues to attract well-known watermen, conditioned athletes, and this year even a few daring local TV and radio personalities.

Former competitor and Race Director Mike Takahashi saw the race evolve from a little over 30 participants in its first year, to well over 150 competitors this year.

“It’s good to see in these slow economic times that people have their priorities straight, and add in some fun and recreation,” Takahashi said. However, he said not just anyone can participate in the event, as the treacherous conditions can present a challenge to even a seasoned paddler.

Participants compete in a variety of classes including unlimited and stock paddleboards, solo and relay stand-up paddling.

Nose to the Board
Well-known waterman Jamie Mitchell (Australia) did not disappoint Sunday when he claimed his seventh consecutive win in the overall paddleboarding division. The 31-year-old has turned heads across the globe dominating competitions in big-wave riding, stand-up paddle surfing, and tow-in surfing.

“I consider him the Lance Armstrong of paddleboard racing,” Ekolu said of Mitchell. “No one will ever break his records.”

With Mitchell (Australia) almost guaranteed his win in the paddleboarding division on Sunday, Takahashi said the interesting race was in seeing who would steal second place. Jackson English (Singapore) thrilled crowds by beating out the close competition to take the runner-up spot.

In the women's division, Kanesa Duncan (Hawaii) upset last year’s winner, Shakira Westdorp (Australia), by taking first. “Both women are looking forward to a rematch next year,” Takahashi said.

Standout Stand Up Paddleboarding
Perhaps one of the biggest changes to the QuiksilverEdition Ka`iwi Channel Paddleboard Race has been the recent addition of the C4 Waterman Stand Up Paddleboarding division. SUPers cross on specialized paddleboards and utilize a single-ended paddle (similar to a canoe paddle) to propel themselves.

While SUPing began with the Waikiki Beach Boys nearly half a century ago, it was only recently that the sport became re-popularized.

Many credit Dave Kalama and infamous big wave rider Laird Hamilton for re-introducing SUPing to the surfing world. The friends began taking paddles out in 1995 to enjoy waves on small surf days.

“It’s not surprising at all” to see the rapid growth of the sport, Dave said, explaining that it was not a matter of if it would catch on, but when. Seeing the list of SUP participants nearly double since last year, three-time relay team champions and cousins Ekolu and Dave Kalama expect the number to continue to grow.

Ekolu, who just returned from a European tour with his sponsor Starboard, achieved his goal of beating Mitchell across the finish line. While the champion paddleboarder received a 30-minute head start from the SUPers, he didn’t have the advantage of being part of a relay team or using a paddle.

“It is a joy ride for us,” Ekolu said. “You are hooting and hollering and giggling - just having a great time,” Dave added.

A clear crowd favorite, the `ohana duo came ready to claim their third consecutive victory. While both admit they haven’t trained specifically for the event, they have strong natural abilities and they regularly frequent the ocean.

Admiring Mitchell’s skill and consistent wins, Ekolu said he would like to create a legacy similar to Jamie’s in the SUP division.

Celebrity SUPings
Breaking ground in the Ka`iwe Channel race, well-known media personalities stood up to show the fun and adrenaline-filled side of SUPing. Four, four-person teams comprised of two celebrity paddlers, and two experienced watermen entered the race.

“This gives us an excuse to be at the beach,” said Lanai Boy (I-94 FM). “I’m trying to have as much fun as I can.” Lanai, who trained about six months in advance for the event, was joined in the race by teammate and experienced waterman Brian Keaulana.

“I’ve always wanted to do the crossing,” said Dan Meisenzahl (KITV4 morning news). He had only SUPed maybe four or five times before the race, but said, “I hope this is the first of many” trips across the Channel. Dan was accompanied by watermen Russ Keaulana and Ikaika Kalama.

The well-known Keaulana brothers each escorted a celebrity team across the Channel.

Having trained with the new SUPers, Brian Keaulana said the experience “takes away their fear” of sharks, and of the elements.

The Surf Rescue Pioneer hoped for strong winds and big waves. “I’m happy it’s treacherous,” he said, explaining that such conditions can help the boarders to get across the Channel faster.

A Winning Attitude
“The race ran very smoothly,” Takahashi said. “It was an exciting, nice beautiful day in Honolulu,” he said in describing a crowded, but favorable welcome on Oahu.

“I am always impressed by the spirit of the competitors,” Takahashi said. Despite grueling water conditions that would make many want to jump into a support team boat, “everybody soldiers on … it brings me chicken skin every time.”



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Fishing for the Future

Wednesday, July 30th, 2008

A series of articles on the island’s fishponds.

Uncle Leimana teaches local keiki about marine life at Kahinapohaku. Photo by Petra Wegmann.

By Jennifer Smith

For centuries, ancient Hawaiians looked to loko i`a, fishponds, for nourishment and livelihood; today, groups throughout the islands are turning to past knowledge in the hopes of reviving this rich cultural resource.

Molokai alone hosts over 60 fishponds, which are amongst Hawaii’s greatest engineering achievements. The semi-circular walls of the ponds are meant to keep fish in, while allowing seawater to circulate.

Unfortunately a lack of fresh water, an abundance of invasive mangrove and sea life, sedimentation from eroding uplands, and a lack community involvement have caused Molokai’s fishponds to fall into a state of disrepair.

Luckily, dedicated konohiki also known as caretakers, and volunteers throughout the Friendly Isle believe in the future of the fishponds and continue to put in the time and hard work to revive what was once one of the island’s most thriving resources.

Today’s konohiki are working to do more than repair walls. The restoration effort involves such things as educating the island’s youth, creating culture-based experiences, supporting responsible tourism, and promoting sustainability.

While the ponds may never produce the abundance of fish they once did, community support is redefining Molokai’s loko i`a as epicenters for education, culture, and fellowship.

An ongoing series of stories in The Dispatch will re-introduce some of the island’s caretakers, and provide updates on the future of fishponds on Molokai.

Hina’s Rock
While not the biggest fishpond on the island, Kahinapohaku is certainly one of the most visible. The four-acre fishpond is located at the 19-and-a-half mile marker on the East End of Molokai. Most drivers could recognize the pond from the highway by its outrigger canoe, surrounding coconut shacks, and breathtaking view of Maui.

Literally translated, Kahinapohaku means Hina’s Rock; in Hawaiian culture Hina is regarded as the mother of Molokai. But caretaker Leimana Raymond Naki said the fishpond has a deeper physical and spiritual meaning.

“It is a place where the rocks support each other,” under the water and above the water, Naki said.

And if anyone would know the true meaning of Kahinapohaku it would be Naki, who has been involved with the fishpond for nearly a decade, including the last three years which he has dedicated to living there full-time. According to Naki, he and his `ohana gave up the comforts of electricity and running water to care-take the area and ensure its revitalization.

A Mighty Task
Naki said revitalization and restoration are understatements to describe what needs to be done for the fishpond, explaining that it is not just a “project.”

“By having Kahinapohaku it gives pride in our culture,” he said. “Our ancestors, our enemies, our neighbors ate from here.”

However, today Naki said the fishpond is hurting. Contrary to what some may think, the Naki `ohana does not fish from Kahinapohaku. “Right now no one should be taking fish from the pond.”

Kahinapohaku’s broken walls have prevented her from healing and replenishing the fish communities, according to Naki.

“When the walls go up, the fish goes in,” he said. And it is with this belief that he continues trying to find the means to get the walls back up.

It would take several months for a dedicated group of hard workers to get the wall back up, Naki said. He is looking for grants that would allow him to pay workers to come to the pond, but continues to thank the efforts of local volunteers.

“You need the community support to take care of a fishpond this big,” he said. “For the past 10 years the community has come time and time again … my heart goes to those who come and work.”

Fishponds and Island Youth
While getting the walls back up is Plan A for Naki, he has also worked very hard to support the pond and his culture through Plan B: education. He regularly holds workshops at Kahinapohaku for local children, clubs, and the occasional island visitors.

“Education is the key,” Naki said. He provides workshops on everything from traditional ways of laying net, to hula, music, and mo`olelo.

While his services are open to anyone on the island, the kids keep him going. “They give me the strength,” he said.

And for the past two and a half years Naki has also enjoyed the help of a dedicated German transplant, Petra Gabriela Wegmann.

While attending a workshop in Munich given by Maori and Hawaiian women, Wegmann was told by one of the lecturers, “It is time for you to come home to Hawaii.” A few years later she found herself regularly commuting back and forth, and today she said she knows more Hawaiian songs than German.

Helping Naki to run workshops, and teach the importance of revitalizing Kahinapohaku Wegmann said, “I see the purpose of this place.” She said her friend and mentor’s purpose is not to get paid and then do his work; his purpose is to perpetuate the culture.

Feeling passionate about the fishponds ability to educate children in ways that traditional classrooms cannot, the teaching duo encourages teachers to bring their students to the pond.

"My classroom is round and it is an open space, they are not confined here," Naki said. “Some children don't belong in a box, in the classroom."

Having never seen kids “so happy,” Wegmann said many don’t want to leave at the end of the day. “They can’t believe it’s really a school class.”

This is perhaps why youth groups continue to visit Kahinapohaku to learn. In June, several groups including Ho`olana from Kamehameha Schools, Summer Pals, Keiki Steps, Te Ihi Connections performers, and Alu Like attended workshops about traditional fishing techniques and practices.

"It's good because it's about our culture," said Elano Naki, Leimana’s wife and the main coordinator for youth groups at the pond.

“I’m glad we have something like this for our kids,” Naki said. "This is our island, our resources."

However, even when Naki is teaching about the fish in the fishpond he said he makes sure to get the fish from elsewhere. “I fish outside because I respect the inside of this fishpond.”

Perpetuating Kahinapohaku
Naki found his way back to his cultural roots after enrolling his daughter in Punanaleo Hawaiian Immersion Preschool nearly 15 years ago. Born in territorial Hawaii, and having witnessed decades of change on Molokai, he is grateful for the opportunity to support the island’s cultural heritage.

"To me we struggled as a Hawaiian people," Naki said. He described how the kanaka maoli suffered a great loss when they became a state. He said they lost their hula, music, `olelo, and were forbidden to speak their native language.

Today Naki sees his continued hard work in the fishpond as a type of therapy, a reminder of his struggles as a youth. He said whether it is a fishpond or a taro patch, it is a way for the people to connect back to their culture.

"This is the path I needed to take to understand my people," he said, looking out at the cool water and warm stones of the breathtaking fishpond. “It is like starting over … it’s going to be hard, but we gonna’ make it.”

“There will be fish … fish to provide for community and our families,” Naki said. “What we have here is real … the resources are real.”

For more information on Kahinapohaku call 808-450-7834 and leave a message for Leimana.


Fishpond Protocol
In order to help malama Molokai’s fishponds it is important that visitors to the ponds follow proper protocol.

The following are some basic dos and don’ts for following protocol at Kahinapohaku.

Do’s-
• Many of Molokai’s fishponds have konohiki or caretakers: the ponds that are being actively cared for generally welcome volunteers and usually offer classes and other types of opportunities to get involved. Find out more from the pond’s caretaker.
• Pond work is always better with a group. School fields trips, church groups, non-profit and for-profit organizations usually welcome volunteer groups. Plan ahead of time when scheduling your visit.
• Be respectful: always ask to enter a pond area or to take pictures.
• It’s better to give than to take. Whether you’re Hawaiian or not, know your kuleana or responsibility toward fishponds.

Don’ts-
• Take fish from fishponds; all of Molokai’s ponds are in a state of disrepair or rehabilitation. Instead, see how you can help repair a pond.
• Consider a pond public property. Just because a pond is in the ocean, doesn’t mean it’s public property.
• Walk on the wall, because you could hurt yourself, as well as damage the walls of the pond.
• Kayak in fishponds unless you are actively involved in its repair.
• Attempt to repair a pond unsupervised. There are more than sixty ponds on Molokai – if you’re interested in repairing a pond, get the help of a cultural specialist.


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Kite Surfers Rip Waves and Ride Wind

Wednesday, July 30th, 2008

Kite Surfers Rip Waves and Ride Wind

Hawaiian Kite Crossing Team stops on Molokai on quest from Maui to Oahu.

Paul Franco shows off his skill as he flies 30 feet above Hotel Molokai. Franco and the rest of the Hawaiian Kite Crossing Team make history as the first kite boarders to surf the hundred mile distance from Maui to Oahu.


By Andres Madueno

Family, friends, spectators, and journalists alike kept their eyes to the sky as they waited for the first glimpse of a kite in the air. The first kite surfer from the Hawaiian Kite Crossing Team was seen in the late afternoon last Saturday, just off the beach at Hotel Molokai. Eight other surfers followed from the east to meet at the halfway point of their 100-mile adventure from Maui to Oahu. 

This is the first year the event will stretch to Oahu.

“This is my fourth trip from Maui to Molokai.  But it’s going to be the first time for all of us to go from Maui all the way to Oahu,” said Paul Franco, a team member since 2000. He moved all the way from Brazil to be able to kite surf here in beautiful Hawaii. 

Along with Franco his sister Raquel Lima will be the first woman ever to complete the crossing from Maui to Oahu. “I’m stoked to be the first girl ever to do it,” Lima said. She has been kite boarding since 2002, and this is her second time crossing over to Molokai.

Teammates range from those who have been kite boarding for more than a decade to those who are considered novices. 

“Our average speed was 13.4 mph.  Our max speed was about 24 mph and we covered 60 miles in 4.2 hours,” said Curt Scott, who has been kite boarding since 2000. 

Although kite boarding is not very popular on Molokai the conditions seem to be perfect for the sport according to enthusiasts. Lots of wind, nice waves, and a sparse lineup make for ideal conditions. 

Good luck to the team on their continuing journey from Molokai to Oahu.

 

 


 

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Keiki Catches

Wednesday, July 30th, 2008

Keiki Catches


Randy and Josh Cabreros are ready to hook some big Ulua. The eels they caught should make great bait.

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Calvary Chapel Finds New Home

Wednesday, July 30th, 2008

Lighthouse Church of Nazarene opens its arms to church-goers.

The Worship Team at Calvary Chapel led the congregation with worship songs during their last service in their former home.

By Zalina Alvi

After eight years at the corner of Maunaloa and Kalae highways, the Calvary Chapel will be moving in with the Lighthouse Church of Nazarene.

The last service in the warehouse next to the Swenson Real Estate office was held last week Sunday with a room of devoted worshippers. On Aug. 3, their first service will be held just down the road at their new home with Lighthouse.

Following the expiration of its lease, Calvary Chapel, which has not had a pastor in four years, will be graciously taken in by Lighthouse, which will continue to hold their own separate services prior to Calvary in the shared space.

“(Lighthouse) feels like, as god’s people, we’re all one people, so we’re all going to work together, said Mark Shima, a member of the Worship Team at Calvary.

Pastor Waxer Tipton, who started Calvary Chapel at Dick Wheeler’s Plumeria Farm in 1996 and now lives in Honolulu, was present at last Sunday’s service to wish everyone well. He encouraged attendees to look towards the future as he cited passages from Isaiah 43:18.

“Basically the passage states that we’re not going to ponder things of the past,” said Shima. “God is leading us in a new direction.”

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Bringing the Kaopuiki Family Home

Wednesday, July 30th, 2008

Molokai Habitat for Humanity opens the doors for their 12th house.

A teary-eyed Halona and Gay Kaopuiki thanked all those who came to celebrate their new home with them on July 26.

By Zalina Alvi

After five months of construction, Halona and Gay Kaopuiki have finally moved into their new house built by Molokai Habitat for Humanity.

“All the people who helped, I’ll always cherish these people for the rest of my life,” Halona said.

The couple was welcomed into their new home on July 26 with a house blessing courtesy of Aunty Kahu Auna Arakaki and a potluck enjoyed with members of Molokai Habitat, `ohana and friends.

Molokai Habitat Executive Director Jean Han presented the couple with a free computer from the organization, along with a bounty of house-warming gifts from well-wishers.

The house is the first two-bedroom home and 12th overall since 1998 for the organization, which raises funds and receives grants to build homes for islanders who need them.

Planning for the next build-a-thon on Aug. 23 for Nani Duvauchelle is already underway. Anyone interested in helping can contact Han at 560-5444.

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Molokai Youth Get Their Hands Dirty

Wednesday, July 30th, 2008

Molokai Youth Get Their Hands Dirty

Hawaii Youth Conservation Corps bridges the gap between conservation projects and island youth.

The young conservationists of the Molokai Hawaii Youth Conservation Corps (left to right from top): Nainoa Pedro, Jon Brito, Elroy Reyes, Nelson Rapanot, Paulette Tamashiro-Pelekane, Ka`ohele Ritte-Camara, Ashley Tangonan, Riare Perreira, Nicole Tachibana and John-Russel Phifer.

By Zalina Alvi

Deep in the bushes of Halawa Valley, a handful of young men and women are covered in mud, trying to restore a taro patch to its former vitality. They are pulling up weeds, learning about conservation work, and laughing and enjoying themselves as they do it.

“We get to learn all kinds of ways to keep the environment healthy, and to preserve for our future generations (…) The knowledge will pass on to us, so we can pass it on,” said participant Riare “Queenie” Perreira.

In fact, for the past six weeks, the eager youth of the Hawaii Youth Conservation Corps have been traveling across Molokai, Oahu, and Kaho`olawe, working with various conservation projects as part of a summer program.

In exchange for once-in-a-lifetime experiences, skills in leadership and team-building, and a chance to play a role in maintaining the precious resources of our isles, they have been traveling from one location to the next and working non-stop.

“The program gives them the opportunity to do conservation work, get their foot in the door, to see what it’s like, and to build up their skills,” said Nicole Tachibana, a program leader on Molokai.

After team training on Oahu, the group moved on to the Keawanui Fishpond on the east side of Molokai. They spent a week moving rocks to help with restoration, building an ahu, and removing invasive species from the area, all the while learning about the importance of fishponds to our culture and our kuleana to preserve them.

The next week found the team in Kaho`olawe, where they helped to create a trail around the outside of the entire island in preparation for the annual Makahiki festival season, which is a four-month period beginning in late October or early November.

The rest of the six-week program included work with Kahonua Momona at the Ali`i Fishpond, removal of strawberry, guava and clidemia plants with The Nature Conservancy, and helping with the Molokai subcommittee of the Maui Invasive Species Committee.

All the young men and women working with the Corps on Molokai, most of whom were still in high school or had just graduated, felt that learning about their island and how to manage and preserve its resources were their main reasons for participating.

“I joined the program to preserve our nature and plants, and to learn about our island,” said Lynsey Dudoit-Alapai.

After each of these experiences, the participants, between the ages of 15 and 35, are expected to write journal entries about the importance of the work they are doing at each site, for which they are paid $1,000 at the end of the summer program.

This year, the Hawaii Youth Conservation Corps sponsored 15 teams of youth statewide, which included close to 150 members. The program provides assistance on six different islands in Hawaii including Kaho`olawe, and is sponsored in large part by the Department of Land Natural Resources and Kamehameha Schools. The summer program is part of Kupu, which supports other programs such as a year-round internship, community assistance program, and the Hana Hou internship program.

Participants must apply online at www.hawaiiycc.com by March of each year for the summer program, and those accepted will have all their accommodation and travel expenses covered by the program.

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Maui Land & Pineapple Cuts 274 Jobs

Wednesday, July 30th, 2008

Company cites weak economy and rising fuel costs for cutting more than a quarter of its workforce.

By Zalina Alvi

Just 122 days after Molokai Ranch laid off 120 employees on the Friendly Isle, Maui Land & Pineapple (ML&P) Co. has announced its plans to lay off 274 employees.

The Kahului-based company is one of Maui's largest private employers, but said a weak economy and rising fuel costs would be forcing them to cut more than a quarter of their 1,045 employees. The company is expected to save $11 million annually as a result of the “reorganization plan.”

Most of the damage will be done in the pineapple division, with the loss of 204 jobs. The rest will come from the company’s Kapalua Resort, with 46 positions, and another 24 employees from the corporate and community development units will be laid off.

ML&P laid off 120 workers last June from their canning operations.

In early April, just days after the Ranch closed its doors, ML&P one of the few off-island companies offering employment to laid-off workers on Molokai.

Recovery Plans
Efforts to help the 274 employees will include a “Rapid Response Team” from the state Department of Labor and Industrial Relations, severance packages, and other programs from ML&P. The company will expend about $3 million to assist former employees.

In a statement released by the county, Mayor Charmaine Tavares called the layoffs “an unfortunate situation,” and offered help in the form of working with State Workforce Development services and the non-profit community to offer support to those impacted.

Senator Dan Inouye expressed similar sentiments in a July 25 press release, where he announced that he would be “working with the company, the ILWU (International Longshore and Warehouse Union), and the agriculture leadership to keep at least some pineapple cultivation on Maui, possibly under a different business model.”

“Pineapples are a part of Maui’s legacy,” he added.

The senator will also be alerting the U.S. Department of Labor of the “impending dislocated worker emergency grant needs,” and vowed to carry the state’s application forward as soon as it is completed.

A meeting for the workers will be held at 10 a.m. on July 29 at the Kapalua Training Center.

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No Extra Water for Monsanto

Wednesday, July 30th, 2008

Department of Agriculture representative expects request to be formally denied this week.

By Zalina Alvi

The state Department of Agriculture (DOA) is making plans to tell Monsanto’s Molokai it can’t have any more water, even if they pump for it themselves.

The Agricultural Resource Management division will formally be responding to the company sometime this week, according to Duane K. Okamoto, deputy to the chairperson of the Hawaii Board of Agriculture. The announcement was made at the July 22 meeting of the Molokai Irrigation System Water Users Advisory Board.

The company made an informal request to the department earlier this summer for permission to have more water, on the condition that they would pay for the extra pumping.

More water is not an option at this time, said Okamoto explaining that the 20 percent conservation cutbacks in water use for the summer would prohibit the department from allowing Monsanto to access more water. The decision also took into consideration the limits of sustainable yields and the electrical costs of more pumping.

“Hydrology is the more important thing,” said Randolph Teruya, DOA agricultural asset manager, referring to the natural water sources in our lakes, streams and oceans.

Monsanto is notorious for being the largest consumer of water on the island, using 30 percent more than the second biggest user, Coffees of Hawaii. It is also the largest employer on the island, specializing in agricultural genetic research.

Water Conservation Plans
The issue of Monsanto’s water conservation plan was also brought up by HomesteaderWalter Ritte, who asked why the company has not been forced to implement its plan.

The response from the board was that they can only request that non-homesteaders create and implement water conservation plans, and they do not file copies of such plans nor do they have the power to enforce implementation.

Teruya expressed an expectation that non-homesteaders would use common sense and best management practices, and would “not water what doesn’t need to be watered.”

Weekly readings of water use will determine and inform the board if non-homestead users are violating the mandatory 20 percent cutbacks that began in June.

Ray Foster, manager of Monsanto’s Molokai farm, commented that the company would do its best to conserve water, although they will continue to use overhead irrigation in some form. Foster also said they would give irrigating at night “a try” as part of their conservation efforts.

The board’s next meeting will be on Sept. 16 at 10 a.m. in the Molokai Irrigation System’s conference room in Hoolehua.

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