Private & Public Cynicism in TGI

SUBHEAD: They apply pressure on the compliant media with dishonest public relations supporting their goal.

By Juan Wilson on 1 October 2013 for Island Breath -
(http://islandbreath.blogspot.com/2013/10/private-public-cynicism-in-tgi.html)

Image above: Gatehouse to Caumset State park in New York that is similar in scale to one proposed at Kokee. From (http://www.islandbreath.org/2006Year/11-justice/0611-04kokeebetrayal.html)

Kauai Cynical Ploy #1
DLNR announces koa tree poaching on rise in Kokee.

“Amounts taken vary from scene to scene,” Deborah Ward, the information specialist for the Hawaii Department of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR), wrote in an email. “Thefts appear to be increasing and in areas more visible to DLNR officials and the public.”9/30/13 TGI

Why is his Cynical
DLNR wants gate at the Kokee Park Entrance

Since it first proposed the new master plan for Kokee State Park, in 2004, the DLNR has asserted its intent to put a gate up at the entrance to the park and collect fees for entry. There has been fierce and overwhelming opposition from the public since the Kokee Master Plan was first made public. 

Granted, koa wood poaching has been a problem for some time - as well as other resource abuses and overuses. By pointing this out in a press release they are not producing news but once more trying to get around the fact that the residents of Kauai and the public advisory board the DLNR set up to inform them of community desires rejects the gate as a solution to resource issues. 

The Kokee State Park Advisory Council was put together with community members and stakeholders in Kokee. They have continued to recommend that no gate be erected at the park entrance. They met on 9/25/13 at NTBG headquarters in Kalaheo. The garden Island reported:

The original proposal — drawn up in 2003 by officials of the state Department of Land and Natural Resources and a consultant — included a 40- to 60-room hotel with restaurant, a park entry gate to collect user fees, construction of new overlooks above Waimea Valley and several expanded parking areas.

Had others not carefully read through the proposal back then we would have a master plan that includes a hotel, an entry gate that would charge everyone (both residents and non-residents) and have a souvenir store at Waimea Canyon Lookout.

Instead, the community came out to save the mountain from large-scale development, creating Kauai Community-One Voice for Kokee (better known as Save Kokee), an organization dedicated to preserving the parks. In 2008, the legislature created the Kokee State Park Advisory Council (KSPAC)...

Before diving into specifics, KSPAC Chair Charles Wichman Jr. told about 50 community members gathered Wednesday that they would be “pleasantly surprised” by the revisions recently adopted by the state.

“With the exception of the entry booth, we’re really close,” he said.

The proposed entry station includes a 100-square-foot gated booth for collecting fees from non-residents only, as well as a 500-square-foot roadside support building. It would be at mile marker 7, just above the junction of Waimea Canyon Drive and Kokee Road.

Aside from not wanting the entry station at all, concerns voiced Wednesday included that its location would create a large amount of traffic, as well as an additional stretch of roadway the park would be responsible for maintaining, rather than the Department of Transportation. 6/15/13 TGI

Island Breath: DLNR Plan for Kokee State Park on Kauai 11/14/04
Island Breath: Petition against gate fee takes off 11/22/04
Island Breath: Petition against gate gets 1300 signatures 11/30/04
Island Breath: BLNR has not reviewed public testimony 1/11/05
Island Breath: News from Kokee Coalition 2/7/05
Island Breath: Kokee Park Master Plan 5/17/05
Island Breath: Kokee Reprieve by BLNR 9/12/06 
Island Breath: Destruction of Kokee 9/15/06
Island Breath: Kokee will never be the same 9/24/06
Island Breath: State Betrays Kauai on Kokee 12/29/06


Image above: From GoogleEarth 3D image looking north in Hanamaulu-Wailua area near Route 583 by Juan Wilson. There are GMO fields to the east of 583.

Kauai Cynical Ploy #2
GMO companies offer voluntary moratorium on expansion north of Wailua. 

This week through the corrupted machinations of Governor Neil (PLDC) Abercrombie and the Hawaii Crop Improvement Association (lobbying for the Big Five Chemical Companies - Monansto, Dow, Dupont, Syngenta, BASF) a proposal has been floated promising a voluntary moratorium on new open field GMO experimental field operations north of the Wailua River on the east side of Kauai.

"Addressing the moratorium issue, Yukimura said she spoke with the four biotech seed companies, which have agreed to not expand operations north of the Wailua River, pending the county’s fact-finding study.  9/29/13 TGI

Why is this cynical? 
GMO companies don't want the rich and influential turning on them... Oops! Too late. 

...While it may seem like a welcome offer, Hooser described the proposal as “insulting to the community” as it does not include the island’s Westside. 9/29/13 TGI

As far as  I know there were no plans to develop such experimental fields north of the Wailua and the moratorium they talk about is both temporary and voluntary. In other words, they can go back on it any time they want.

But more insidious, I suspect,  is the GMO chemical coporporations' assumption they might peel off support of anti-GMO efforts by those troublesome rich organic kale eating activists on the North Shore and their pesky radio station KKCR.

I don't think the people on Kauai are that gullible. 

Image above: Massive GMO corn field on land leased from Grove Farms on East side of Route 583. Photo by Juan Wilson. Click to enlarge.

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