Population growth bad for the Islands
"I read Melvin Partido and Clifford Jamile's letters on April 10 and decided to address both on two issues.
First, building a bridge over Pearl Harbor is an excellent idea coupled with opening that "secret" tunnel under the harbor as well; it would take care of our traffic problems temporarily. Second, all the money being spent by the Honolulu Board of Water Supply to conserve water is a noble move; however, in addressing both these issues, these "solutions" are all just very temporary.
As we keep allowing people to move here from abroad, all these "solutions" will catch up to themselves in a relatively short amount of time. Obviously, we can't build bridges connecting all the islands, nor can we tow Kaua'i (which has all the water for all the Islands) to O'ahu, so we are back to where we are with just the temporary "solutions."
Am I suggesting we stop growth in Hawai'i? Well, you think about where we are located compared to the rest of the United States and you figure it out. "Conserve, conserve, conserve our water," they cry, but we keep building more and more homes, which puts more vehicles on our depleting roads and more water into the pipes — bleak for the future on O'ahu and the rest of the Islands, yeah?"
Chico Ruiz
Honolulu
Seen at http://the.honoluluadvertiser.com/current/op/letters