Sand Island is a heartfelt experience for me because I was there in the aftermath for many years along side Puhi Pau, Mel Hoomanawaui and Gail Prejean. John and Marion Kelley was also addressing the concerns of Sand Island along with Carl Young. These times were devastating to the old and the young and to the flora and fauna. Why the environment because the waster water treatment plant released raw sewage into the near shores soon after the devastating eviction per description by Puhi Pau.
Now this! ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++This bill was recently signed into law!!!!!
House Bill 1164 authorizes the Department of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR) to consider the sale or exchange of land of Sand Island parcels to leaseholders. This bill was on the intent to veto list because Governor Abercrombie opposes the sale of state land. However in this situation, private funding may be used to study the exchange of Sand Island parcels to leaseholders.
And this!+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
"Under the city-proposed transport plan, three 5,000-gallon trucks would make two runs each day from Sand Island to treatment facilities in Kailua, Honouliuli and Waianae at an estimated cost of $1.8 million for the first year. Officials say a one-day test run would be made first, with results monitored for a week to identify potential problems at receiving sites and surrounding areas."
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
There were photographs, posters and political cartoons marking Kelly's work to revitalize Sand Island; of protesters carrying signs saying, "Trust People Not Courts"; of Kelly getting arrested at a protest; and of him testifying before legislators and the Honolulu City Council.
Ku'e
Jan. 1980
By 1979, Sand Island had become home to a rapidly growing settlement of fishermen and other locals, who claimed it as their birthright, much to the dismay of the state. Although the island was artificially constructed between 1940 and 1945, the source of the coral dredgings, the Keehi Lagoon area, was part of the ceded lands. The state was not impressed with the argument, and after repeated eviction notices, it bulldozed about 135 houses on Sand Island, on Jan. 23, 1980, arresting those who refused to leave their houses.
May 1975
A property dispute goes up in flames on Mokauea Island, off Sand Island. The state, frustrated with the repeated eviction and return of a resident group of fishermen on the island, hired a contractor to burn down the makeshift houses in an attempt to permanently evict them. Here, Mokauea resident Billy Molale brings Greevy and SOS activists John Kelly, Antonio Andres and Lorna Omori in for a closer look. The families were allowed to return to the island a year later under a long-term lease.
FROM "KU'E"
In 1980, the state arrested dozens of Sand Island residents and their supporters during an eviction battle that pitted the city and state against residents. After the arrests, some of the residents, including this father and child, took their story to Waikiki, where they shared their plight with isle visitors. The residents eventually lost the battle and their homes were bulldozed away.
Dr. Haunai K and Mililani also too was very much engaging in the protest of the 'State's abuse to fishermen and their families. I was there nightly for months thereafter to prevent any more abuses to the old Na Kanaka that gathered there for most of their lives. They were very 'traditional' in their fishing practices. |
Replies
This is experience was on my mind today, and it's interesting as to how this 'eviction' is so much happening today. I so don't know what to say to our young people. Especially those that are young fishermen to be with the loss of traditional fishing.
At first at the meeting a lot of fishermen were at this meeting in opposition to the homeless, and I do know how they arrived to their loss, by not paying attention to the real experiences on our Waianae Coast and our economy. but there was serveral of us that were there to speak on behalf of the true sense of the world of homelessness on the Waianae Coast.
I simply didn't have the energy to say as they went against the housless they also lost their freedom to outsiders. Which is what's happening in Waianae.
Councilman John Berg is very complicated person and we can weave a lot of public debate on different issues in one sitting.
Unless one is engaging in the streets with different concerns..it is very difficult to keep up. Tuesday night was one of those hard and difficult night's. Josh was at the babysitter, so towards the end when the sewage issue came up or in between, I didn't communicate my concern.
The raw sewage from Sand Island will have a devasting impact on our Pokai Bay area!!!!!