View the Maui Independent’s video endorsement, narrated by Alika Atay, or read the text version of the commentary below. Corporate America has a vision for Maui’s future. It is the same vision they have had for 130 years. It is a vision of ruthlessly exploiting our island’s bountiful environment and hard working people for their
There was a character in a William Faulkner novel who learned early in life “that words go up in the air in a column of thin smoke, but doing goes along the ground.” The Maui County Council’s old guard talks about issues affecting residents: affordable housing and “solving the workforce housing crisis”, homelessness, water quality
On February 22 and 23, 2017, Maui citizens will have a chance to speak out against a 30-year extension of a rigged plantation-era water system that for more than a century has diverted the majority of all the water from vibrant streams on the island to benefit the Alexander & Baldwin Corporation for less than
With the historic November 2022 passage of Charter Amendment 12, establishing the East Maui Community Water Authority, there is hope, for the first time in 145 years, that the people of Maui will finally gain control over the island’s largest public water source. “The water leases are up for grabs, and the DLNR (Department of Land
View the Maui Independent’s video endorsement, narrated by Alika Atay, or read the text version of the commentary below. Corporate America has a vision for Maui’s future. It is the same vision they have had for 130 years. It is a vision of ruthlessly exploiting our island’s bountiful environment and hard working people for their
The public initiative system is a unique and magnificent tool for grassroots democracy. Four years ago, Maui’s GMO Moratorium made history in a number of significant ways. First, it made local history by becoming the first public initiative effort in Maui history to get on the ballot. It did this through the hard work of
In a victory for people power, Hawai’i is about to become the first state in the nation to ban the neurotoxic pesticide chlorpyrifos. The ban is part of a historic new pesticide regulation bill that had already passed the House, and on Friday, April 27, passed the Senate Conference Committee. The bill, after enormous opposition from
The most heavily used chemical weed killer in human history has been declared carcinogenic by a team of health experts testifying last week in San Francisco’s U.S. District Court. While government agencies have declared Roundup safe, based on corrupt science and flawed analysis (often drawing from Monsanto-funded studies), a lawsuit on behalf of farm workers
A major victory for Maui Ohana candidates in Tuesday’s election is likely to signal a sea change in direction for Maui’s County Council. Even though former council member and old guard Mike Victorino defeated Ohana candidate Elle Cochran in the mayor’s race, a majority of Ohana candidates were ushered into power in the Council. The
Since statehood, political power on Maui has resided with resort, development and agribusiness interests. Through their campaign donations and backroom support, this powerful business establishment kept an old guard of politicians in power. All that changed during the election last night (Tuesday, November 6, 2018) when an overwhelming majority of Maui citizens decided “Enuff Already.” Voters
In April at the Maui Energy Conference, Rick Volner, the general manager of diversified agriculture for Alexander & Baldwin, gave a presentation on how Maui’s thousands of acres of former sugar cane land could be utilized in the future. “We have the significant opportunity to alter that landscape,” he said. “Our lands are uniquely positioned
A&B is set to increase GMO crop growing on Maui against the wishes of a majority of the island population who voted for a GMO moratorium in 2014. As part of their so called “diversified agriculture” plan, rather than devoting land to feed people, A&B is growing GMO Bt corn and sorghum on 140 acres
With the death of the sugar cane plantation system, a pioneering local company is banking on a sea of golden yellow sunflowers to help revolutionize agricultural and energy production on Maui. On 115-acres of former sugar cane land in central Maui between Waikapu and Maalaea, Pacific Biodiesel is harvesting its first batch of biofuel sunflowers
It would be gratifying to think that the politics of the Aloha State are conducted on a high plain, but unfortunately the history of our state was founded on lies, deception and force. Under the prevailing kleptocratic system, politics and morals are growing more distant, reflecting the national political environment – a murky swamp in
Facing a political hailstorm in response to naming himself the powerful Chairman of Maui’s County Council through an illegally rigged secret pre-election, Mike White yesterday issued a statement on the Council’s public website defending his actions. White’s response doubles down on his dishonesty. He is now using the taxpayer funded website to both deflect public
On November 11, just three days after Maui’s political establishment suffered unexpected Election Day losses to the Maui Ohana (family) slate of reformist candidates, Mike White, the Chair of the County Council, made a shocking announcement. In clear violation of the Maui County Charter (Section 3.5 here) which states that the vote for the Council
