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Molokai Resident: Our community have been battered by the same folks shoving their agendas

Aloha, January 28, 2012

My name is Deldrine Kauinohea Kapuni Manera.

I am a life long resident of Molokai. I was born at Hoolehua and raised in Ualapue by my kupuna.

We lived a lifestyle of sustainability when it was not fashionable at all - instead of receiving government funds so we could be sustainable, we lived it as a way of life period.

The whole cruise ship kuleana is a sad one. It has been touted as a government blunder, an issue not reviewed or approved by the community, not conceived and spearheaded without consulting a group of folks or Aha Kiole o Molokai, and the list goes on. Whether or not Walter (Ritte's) protestors - is it the Aha Kiole Molokai too? -- were not consulted, or however this boat kuleana came to be, the issue should now be," WHAT NOW??"

When the boat came into dock in November 2011, I went to support the 36 passengers to Molokai. I did some research and realized the boat is small, did all of the government requirements with the DLNR, DOT, harbor kuleana -low impact on Molokai, they come - they go, dump some kala on Molokai - good thing right? WRONG!! These poor people were met with a very angry crowd who yelled at them to go home and that they were not wanted here.

A sign reading "Molokai does not welcome you " is so erroneous. The sign should have read "Some folks on Molokai do not welcome you."

One of the protestors approached our peaceful and happy camp of welcomers and began sailing into our haole friends, singling them out as not belonging to our island home and that it belonged to the Hawaiians. From one extreme to the other.

And the war ensued into a volley of meetings and tons of island conversations. The Aha Kiole o Molokai was thrown into the mix. Meetings were held in the island's moku. People in attendance got to share their mana'o and opinions. The meetings were opened to all ethnicities, not just Hawaiian. But you would have to be registered in order to have a voice and vote. Within a population 7,000 or more, a few hundred said their piece. But the remaining folks did not. Why?

Molokai has a reputation for volatile and uncontrolled meetings. Our community have been battered by the same folks shoving their agendas down the throats of mainly peaceful and non-confrontative folks. So, the beat goes on - business as usual - the media talks to the more vocal group while the quiet majority remains silent.

If the protestors are not against the boat, then why do they continue to protest? The first time they protested was because of the way the boat was introduced to the island without their input. Okay, so that was met with Walter, DLNR and the boat folks. A deal was struck between all parties - hold off until after January 17, 2012. By then the aha would have their tallies pau regarding the vote their registered subjects took on the boat issue. ( to have the boat come to Molokai or not)

A meeting was held in town two weeks ago with the Coast Guard and the DLNR. Evidently, the government was watching the negative and insinuating blogging done regarding the boat issue on Molokai.

Because the governor and politicians were bombarded by calls of concerned citizens fearing a repeat of the same scenario committed in November could happen again, the governor did what he thought was the thing to do - send in the troops.

The security zone was intense and frankly, did we need this on Molokai? I cannot recall anything like it. However, I believe it was needed. The protestors did not jump in the water. The boat came in. The folks from Peru had a great time. And left.

Some folks were upset because they could not access or had trouble accessing or leaving the harbor. And, of course, blamed the boat.

Now, was it a waste of tax payers money? I pay taxes and say not really. That is my tax monies at work for a sad but worthwhile cause. If these protestors think they can do whatever they want and get away with it, they are sadly mistaken. There are consequences for all that we do. The protestors believe they have rights to protest, yes they do. But they need to also abide by the laws of the land which is NO JUMP IN THE WATER!!!

The post 9/11 kuleana is a grim and real one.

This time, the protestors were protesting against the governor and his decision to bring in the forces at the last cruise ship's docking at Kaunakakai Harbor.

And Molokai people better wake up. Do not go by hearsay or emotions. Get the facts before you make any kind of judgment or decision regarding any issue on Molokai.

One more question for Molokai. Do you think we can have the boat of 36 people come in without the government coming in to keep people in line? Or can we come to some kind of agreement where the boat folks can come to our island home, enjoy our Molokai and leave in peace?

Mahalo,

kaui