MOLOKAI: ATTACKING THE HEART OF HAWAII

.
MONEY-VAMPIRES DRAIN MOLOKAI DRY

FOREIGN INVESTORS CUT OFF WATER SUPPLY TO INTIMIDATE AMERICANS

Molokai, Home Of Father Damien, Left To Die

In the last decades, the small Hawaiian island of Molokai has seen its' plantations close down, and foreign investors buy their home and place of business, the Molokai Ranch.

Now those foreign investors are shutting down and pulling out, leaving residents without water the investors were legally and contractually obligated to supply. They're also taking away all the jobs Molokaians have relied upon for years to support their mostly Native Hawaiian families. Coupled with the ripple effects of the equally sudden closings of Weyerhauser, Aloha and ATC airlines, many on the Friendly Isle find themselves without jobs, health-care, utilities, and, maybe soon, a home.

The foreign investors who bought the historic Molokai Ranch had promised to respect the beauty and the traditions, the natives and the environment of the island. But once they were settled in, they tried to shove a mammoth project for a super-luxury resort down the islanders' throats. They choked. Instead of withdrawing their over-reaching bid and negotiating something more suitable to a genuine tropical paradise, the foreign investors simply cut off everyone's water, literally. When the City & County of Maui, which has jurisdiction over Molokai and Lanai also, objected and tried to hold the investors to their promises and contractual obligations, the billionaires pretended poverty. In doing so, they may leave an entire island in ruins, devastating the lives of thousands of people.

It looks like a power-play. This is how they do business, like thugs. "Do it my way or die." I suspect they'll be back after prolonging the suffering in Molokai for long enough to force their grotesque plan down their victims' throats. Our Republican Governor, the Office of Hawaiian Affairs, and the Office of Hawaiian Homelands have done nothing, as usual. No other country in the world would allow foreigners to come in and do this to their people. No other State in the Union would let thugs like this get away with a crime like this.

The people of Molokai are American citizens. Despite hardships, they have survived and prospered and built a life for themselves. They are a vital part of our State, and a source of great pride to all Americans: From the work of America's own Saint Damien of the Lepers, to the disproportionate sacrifices Molokai people have made in every war since 1917.

Molokai is the heart of Hawaii. It is the most Hawaiian of the major islands. It is slow and quiet and very old-fashioned, like all of Hawaii was a hundred years ago. Everyone there is family, everyone knows and cares for each other. If you live Hawaii, you go Molokai to recharge your spirit, and regain your Aloha. The people of Molokai give it freely, asking nothing in return. Without Molokai, Hawaii would die.

Molokai is a small tranquil Polynesian place, where money is scarce but not so important in the lives of the people. The island cannot sustain a massive influx of rich international tourists. To place such a resort on an island like Molokai would be to wantonly destroy everything that made the location attractive in the first place. Such short-sighted and greedy developers will soon move on, leaving behind a white elephant in ruins. Molokai has no freeways, no buses, not much infrastructure at all. There are no malls, no rows of trendy boutiques, few restaurants and bars, no fancy nightclubs, not much for tourists to do, except relax and enjoy real hospitality. That just can't happen with massive over-development.

The State should begin hearings to declare eminent domain on the Molokai Ranch. Restrictions and covenants should be written into the deeds of land, requiring minimal development with respect for the people and the environment, and continuation of all utility services. The land should be sold to a developer who can thrive in this sort of situation, with a price and a tax structure that guarantees their success.

Are there any billionaires out there with a heart?


HONOLULU STAR-BULLETIN
"Molokai Ranch to quit island"

HONOLULU ADVERTISER
"News is a shocker to island's 7,500 residents"

THE MOLOKAI TIMES
"Crisis: Community entreats group to evaluate, provide for needs of belabored West End"

KGMB9: HOWARD DICUS
"A tale of two shutdowns"

HONOLULU WEEKLY
"A Report From Molokai p.1"
"A Report From Molokai p.2"
"A Report From Molokai p.3"

HONOLULU ADVERTISER
"Ranch's fate determined by billionaire"

THE MAUI NEWS
"Conglomerate never intended to operate MPL"

WIKIPEDIA: MOLOKAI
"Culture"

WIKIPEDIA: MAUNALOA
"Economy"

MOLOKAI WATER STORY II.
"DOES WIKIPEDIA HATE HAWAIIANS?"

MOLOKAI WATER STORY III.
"MOLOKAI HITS A DRY PATCH"
.
.

TO POST A COMMENT: CLICK ON "COMMENTS," "Post a Comment" or "# of COMMENTS" just below the SOCIAL BOOKMARKING LINKS (Digg, Delicious, etc), about three inches down from here. Please do comment. Thank you.

IMPORTANT MESSAGE FROM YOUR BLOGGERS:

Suggestion Box & Tip Jar We would like to make over this blog to make it easier to access, to read and to comment on. We would also like to serve our readers better by providing more of what you need and want to see. All serious suggestions will be considered. We hope to move to our own domain in the near future, and we would like to ask for your financial assistance in doing that, and in upgrading our hardware & software. Small one-time donations and larger long-term subscriptions are welcome. Exclusive advertising is also available. If you think we are wasting our time in doing all this, please let us know. If you wish to help us, now is the time. As always, negative bullsh*t from right-wing trolls will be sh*tcanned. Thank you to everyone else. Please send feedback & PayPal contributions to cosanostradamusATexciteDOTcom. Thanks.

SUPPORT OUR TROOPS: BRING THEM ALL HOME ALIVE, NOW!