Inquiry, Intervention Needed Now In Fishing Exploitation
A human rights outrage that has quietly simmered below the public consciousness in recent years exploded on the national scene just days ago when the Associated Press disclosed near slavery conditions...
View ArticleInvestigation Of Hawaii State Auditor Needs To Be Made Public
There is little that undermines the public’s confidence in government more corrosively than a lack of transparency. Denying members of public or the media who serve them access to government records...
View ArticleHonolulu Has 16 Million Reasons To Reform Its Housing Programs
Honolulu hardly has a nickel to waste on the effort to catch up with this island’s enormous and growing affordable housing needs. As Civil Beat editorialized just last week, the city needs at least...
View ArticleFresh Ideas Urgently Needed To Address Special Education Woes
Special education students in Hawaii’s public schools persevere under challenging circumstances. In addition to the physical, emotional and mental obstacles they might face, they are increasingly...
View ArticleHawaii Should Heed Charlotte’s Police Body Cam Lessons
A fatal police shooting in Charlotte, North Carolina offers important lessons for Hawaii just a few months before the 2017 legislative session, when lawmakers are again expected to consider...
View ArticleHonolulu Should Audit Hanauma Bay Fund, Repay Any Misused Cash
Hanauma Bay is one of the iconic places that defines Oahu both locally and internationally. It deserves special protection and care. But the non-profit group dedicated to conservation and stewardship...
View ArticleVoters Can Bolster Police Oversight By Passing Honolulu Ballot Measure
Of the 20 proposed amendments to the City and County of Honolulu charter set to go before voters this fall, one in particular stands out in its simplicity, timeliness and lasting value: Amendment 1,...
View ArticleThe Feds Should Give Hawaii More Time To Figure Out A Rail Plan
With an interim plan now formally on the table, the Honolulu Authority for Rapid Transportation and the city have complied with a Federal Transit Administration requirement for consideration of any...
View ArticleHawaii Needs This Three-Step Plan To Fight Opioid Addiction
An epidemic is sweeping the mainland United States. Since 1999, the sale of prescription opioids has quadrupled around the country. So has the number of deaths from various types of opioids including...
View ArticleCaldwell Did The Right Thing With Police Commission Pick
When Ron Taketa’s term ran out on the Honolulu Police Commission last December, there seemed to be precious few reasons to keep him around. The traditionally toothless oversight group has been notable...
View ArticlePoll Shows Public Consensus Is Still Possible — At Least On Oahu
One prominent narrative this election season has been how deeply divided America is, an idea often validated through the example of the presidential race or other political contests where a left vs....
View ArticlePass Amendment 20 In Support Of Public Records Access
Governmental reform sometimes starts with a symbol. Legislators, for instance, might find sufficient consensus to express their wishes on a specific issue via a non-binding, symbolic resolution long...
View ArticleExtend Term Limits For Mayor, Council? No, 8 Years Is Enough
When it comes to increasing the number of years an incumbent mayor or City Council member can stay in office, Honolulu voters should consider the political realities in Hawaii and just say no. In our...
View ArticleHART’s New Appointees Must Hit The Ground Running
Correction: A previous version of this editorial incorrectly stated that Mayor Kirk Caldwell appointed the new interim director for HART. Honolulu Mayor Kirk Caldwell’s appointment last week of a new...
View ArticleEnd The Public Records Runaround On Saguaro Prison
Too often, when Hawaii residents are convicted of crimes, they’re shipped off to serve their time in Arizona and largely forgotten. The state’s long-standing arrangement with the Corrections...
View ArticleIn Kenoi Case, Don’t Confuse ‘Not Guilty’ With ‘Innocent’
After more than a year and a half of troubling revelations, investigations and finally a criminal trial regarding Hawaii County Mayor Billy Kenoi’s misuse of a government credit card for personal...
View ArticleGet Out And Vote, But Remember, Our Work Is Just Beginning
Everywhere we turn these past few days, we hear the same weary refrain. “I’m so glad it’s almost over,” people say. “I can’t wait ’til Wednesday!” Well, maybe. There’s no doubt that the past 23 months...
View ArticleHawaii Needs To Act Now On New Day Care Rules
Government, we all know, isn’t the most expeditious or efficient beast. But you’d still think that government agencies could get it together enough to do what the Hawaii Legislature asks them to —...
View ArticleDon’t Like The Homeless In Our Backyards? Then Fix The Problem
We don’t envy Chinatown’s business owners. When it comes to facing the unsavory realities of Honolulu’s homelessness epidemic, that area’s storefronts are on the front lines. Business owners have seen...
View ArticleNavy Should Think Twice Before Dropping Bombs On Pagan
The presence of the U.S. can be both a blessing and a curse. Hosting military bases and training grounds often means economic and developmental advantages, but there are undeniable costs as well —...
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