Hawaii SuperFerry - Who wants to become a suburb of Honolulu ???

Which Island wants to be a suburb of Honolulu?

If you ask the governor - she thinks we all want to be. But if you ask the people - it seems pretty clear - No one wants to be. I wonder what her real motive may be - it's certainly not for the people of the Islands. I lived on Oahu for 17 years, I have to admit, and I never really - Got It - about the outer islands. Having lived here on the Big Island now for 7 years - I GOT IT - ! I meet so many Oahu transplants, that finally - GOT IT - also. As beautiful as Oahu is, compared to the mainland.... I just have to say, when someone says the word - Oahu - I can't help but have that song play out in my head - They Paved Paradise, and Put up a Parking Lot - (Sorry Oahu - but its true).

So I have to admit, when they announced the Superferry a few years ago, I got so excited! I couldn't wait, I was going to load up my boat, and head back to my old stomping grounds - the Sand Bar, out in Kaneohe Bay, on Oahu.  My wife and I talked about how we could sleep in the back of our Lincoln Navigator, spend the days at the sandbar, then shop at Ala Moana, load up our SUV, and head back home. It would almost be like we still lived there.

Then it hit me like a brick, wait a minute -  while I am over there buying up the Mall, there will be up to 280 cars loading up to come over to my Island. So I say ok, then I start thinking about, not an immediate knee jerk reaction, but some well thought out, time consuming thought (years), and I have come to the conclusion, that s it's just not worth it in the long run.

I have come across many people, and websites out there that agree with me, I have to admit my biggest concern is our way of life - I know I can't stop progress, there are lots of people like me out there, that seek a better quality of life for them and their family, and they will continue to move here - as I did. And indeed, these are the people we want to see here. But I can't help and think about the all the bad element  that will be on that superferry, the  ones that have the same thoughts I had, Hey lets load up our truck and go over to the Big Island, "I hear they still have Opihi over there, his partner says, What's Opihi ? Oh it's a shell fish that used to be all over Oahu" , but it's gone now, or at graduation time, He honey, let's borrow your brothers truck, and go outer island and Pick Maile leis for the kids. So here comes a truck full of Maile back to Oahu, along with a few Coqui Frogs as hitchhikers. And worse yet - the criminal element! There seems to be a sense of security, being in your own vehicle, having your own tools to break into someones car/home, being able to load up in your trunk, I can't help but remember all the items I have had stolen when living on Oahu. And it seemed to encompass the entire Island, My car was stolen in Kailua, my tools stolen from the airport, My wife's purse stolen at University of Hawaii, MY LIFE JACKETS Stolen from my boat, the list just goes on and on, Oh ya, and most recently (2 months ago) I went back for me nephews graduation, did everything right, Locked all my belongings in my trunk, stopped at Sports Authority - Ward avenue, on my way to the airport, parked right in front, and they broke in, stole my brand new laptop, all of personal belongings, but the saddest thing of all, was my 6 year old sons things, His rubber frog, his homework, his favorite pair of army pants. Why? Why would you steal a 6 year olds belongings?

I have to tell you, I moved to the Big Island 7 years ago - I don't even have a key to my House, my doors have never been locked, in 7 years!

So my question to Governor Lingle is, Instead of making up excuses to cover up for your administrations side stepping of the  EIS, that  SHOULD HAVE BEEN DONE, why aren't  you  looking for the people responsible for taking these shortcuts, and actually hold them responsible for their actions ??? I have to ask what is in it for her, is it just the fact it would have been a feather in her cap, the first interisland ferry brought in by her administration, or does it go deeper than that? Whatever it may be, she needs to step up to the plate and listen to the people. And you know, maybe it's just the people of the outer islands that are up in arms, but we are the ones that will be most affected by this Ferry, I mean, what do you have to lose, living on Oahu, a few hundred people from the outer islands are not going to change the lifestyle of Oahu - at least not for the worse.  But you take a few hundred people from Oahu, and put them on each outer island; it can play a major role in the community, a role, which frankly - I can live without!

So bottom line is, I really want to preserve my way of life on an outer island, I don't want to be a suburb of Honolulu, I don't want big city life, and the big city problems, let's keep outer islands - OUTER ISLANDS. (Stole that from the old Oahu saying - Keep country - COUNTRY) an old saying they used over there when Honolulu applied all of its wisdom, and ways to the rural areas of that island. Let's keep our neighborhoods safe, let's preserve our way of life, and let's send the SuperFerry packing.

Just take a minute and Google - Hawaii SuperFerry -  ( If I could just get Governor Lingle to this)