An excerpt from Yes! A Memoir of Modern Hawaii by Walter A. Dods Jr.


..."a one-airline market could have been prevented with a little bit of gutsy governmental leadership. To me, this is a leadership lesson about the role of government. People get caught up in the moment and fail to look at the bigger ramifications.

 

I could say the same thing about the Thirty Meter Telescope controversy on the Big Island. The damage done to Hawaii's business reputation came at a very high cost. You have these very prominent universities on the West Coast and international astronomy researchers who came together and put up $1.4 billion for the project and then go through seven years of planning and hearings. All of a sudden, out of nowhere, you stop a project based on emotions. The long-term implication is that people who believe in science and believe in the community get turned off on Hawaii and they don't feel Hawaii's word is good.

 

I don't want to come across as a pro-development, "let's pave Hawaii and make it a parking lot" kind of person, because I am not. But when you start ignoring the rule of law, the impact for your community and your state is big. I have heard it already in circles on the Mainland "Hawaii can't be counted on" to go by the rule of law."