The debate over the future of Molokai is usually framed as a conflict over lifestyle and culture, and those are valid things to debate, but we shouldn’t forget that Molokai has barely enough water for “the good old days,” and not enough for even slow development.
Business Update on Hawaii’s Agriculture – KGMB9 News Hawaii
Business Update on Hawaii’s Agriculture
Written by Sunrise on KGMB9 – sunrise@kgmb9.comAugust 27, 2009 07:02 AM
Balance reporting on Hawaii’s recession requires reports on industries that are still growing in these times. That includes the business of growing seed for mainland farmers.
Mark Phillipson is the new GM for the Hawaii operations of Syngenta. He joined KGMB9’s Howard Dicus Thursday morning.[flv image=”https://hawaii-agriculture.com/newblog/wp-content/uploads/2009/08/2009_08_27_Syngenta_flv.JPG”]https://hawaii-agriculture.com/newblog/wp-content/uploads/2009/08/2009_08_27_Syngenta_flv.flv[/flv]
Business Update on Hawaii’s Agriculture | KGMB9 News Hawaii | (KGMB9
Layoff notices a wake up call to lawmakers | Howzit Howard
Did you think the governor issued layoff notices to impel the unions to more readily agree to the more sensible alternative of furloughs? Because if the layoff notices are lighting a fire under anybody, it seems to be state legislators.
The unions are still moving with deliberation, possibly hoping that the economy will stop getting worse, tax revenue will increase, and a smaller concessionary delta will be the focus of negotiations after that.
Lawmakers, on the other hand, now that can see what specific jobs are for the chop, are concerned about the state services set to be screwed up as an inevitable consequence of having no more dough to fund them.
The selection of jobs to reduce does not show any obvious sign that anyone deliberately sought to create as much pain as possible, to hold their breath until you turn blue. To the contrary, they’re spread out among many departments, and the other departments that seem mostly spared are those with a lot of non-union employees who are being put on the furlough program instead, the judge’s order not having impeded that with workers who aren’t subject to collective bargaining.
But the layoffs still include agriculture inspectors, nurses and other people who come nowhere close to the slow-moving, never-heard-of-customer-service, surly bureaucrats that many people fantasized would be sent backing in a round of layoffs. Heavens! Agriculture inspectors and nurses! They do actual work!
Within hours of issuance of the list detailing the positions being cut, several lawmakers had gone on record saying this won’t do. Some who wield budget power even claimed the jobs could not be eliminated without their say-so, while the agriculture cuts produced an immediate constituency for taking action among lawmakers from neighbor islands, especially the Big Island.
As I reported a couple of weeks ago, the state ag department stands to lose inspectors who are a necessary part of the process of exporting Hawaii farm goods to other countries. The fear is that perishable goods will, uh, perish, before they can reach their markets.
Drought hits Maui, worsens on Big Island
Pacific Business News (Honolulu) – 9:28 AM HAST Wednesday, June 13, 2007
by Howard Dicus
The Maui Department of Water Supply has declared a drought in Upcountry Maui, imposing mandatory water restrictions, while dry conditions are getting worse on the Big Island.
Maui officials Tuesday imposed 10 percent water restrictions on nonagricultural users in Haiku, Haliimaile, Kanaio, Keokea, Kula, Makawao, Olinda, Omaopio, Pukalani, Pulehu, Ulupalakua, and Waiohuli, but gave farmers 30 days grace.