EXTRA WORK

LONG HOURS COMMON FOR HAWAI'I TEACHERS

Yes, not every teacher averages a 15-hour workday. However, it is not uncommon on any given day, or for any given individual, to work these long hours.

I bet I used to work 15-hour days when I first started teaching. I remember just trying to stay one step ahead of my students.

The job of teaching involves working many unpaid hours outside of the school day, which can add up very quickly at the end of quarters, at graduation, for class and club advisers, for those who coach academic teams, for the planning of field trips, for communicating with parents, for going to student conferences, for professional development and so on.

I'm taking my students to Maui during spring break, and I guarantee you that I'll average a 15-hour workday this month.

Yes, teachers know that these extra hours come with the job. Not every teacher will put in these extra hours, but many dedicated ones will.

If teaching was such an easy job for what we get paid, there wouldn't be a teacher shortage!

I agree you can't buy dedication, but a little appreciation goes a long way.

SCOUTING EFFORT

MANY HANDS HELPED IN COMPLETING PROJECT

I would like to thank Mike Coad at Hawaiian Cement and John Mitchell at Bonded Materials Co. for donating materials for my Boy Scout Eagle project.

I would also like to thank the county for the fencing material and all the volunteers (Scouts, Scout leaders, parents, and friends) who helped erect the fence at the cemetery.

Without their help, it would have been impossible for me to complete my project. Mahalo.

GENETIC ENGINEERING

ASSESSING FOOD SAFETY IS NOT ANTI-SCIENCE

I have worked as a consultant for the World Health Organization for more than 20 years, developing drugs, diagnostics and vaccines.

While some race ahead to bring forth miracles (and take patents), others work to ensure the safety and evaluate restrictions on the use of these new products. I have worked both aspects.

To refer to those assessing safety as anti-science or non-science is wrong. The moratoriums on open-air genetically engineered plants should be lifted when a safety system is designed, demonstrated and enforced that will ensure their health and environmental safety.

Now this is one heck of a scientific challenge — especially today since the safety of GE foods is unknown, a position in line with WHO policy on GE foods.

THWARTING THEFT

REQUIRE BANK CHECKS FOR COPPER RECYCLING

Across Hawai'i and the Mainland, copper, aluminum and highly marketable recyclable metals are stolen at an alarming rate.

Solutions to preventing purchase of stolen property is the responsibility of all recycling companies. Lenox Metals LLC adheres to strict company procedure, in accordance with state law, that discourages criminals from attempting to transact stolen property for payment.

Our procedure involves several steps designed to thwart "copper crime." Most importantly, we do not deal in cash. We generate a computer-driven bank check from a specific materials purchase account.

Even when a seller completes all requested steps, the bank check must be transacted at a local bank or financial institution. The local bank requires the customer to present identification and provide a fingerprint if they don't have an account.

A bank check poses little inconvenience to honest sellers, and instead serves to validate genuine integrity.

We believe that dealers/buyers who continue to transact strictly in cash offer an incentive to thieves, perpetuating the problem.

An element of dishonest sellers and buyers will always exist, but if buyers remove the ability for thieves to acquire cash for stolen goods, the lights over our highways may once again shine brightly.

TRAFFIC SAFETY

HAWAI'I LEADS COUNTRY IN THE USE OF SEATBELTS

An Englishman now living here wrote to complain about the lack of seatbelt use, carrying children in the cargo area of pickup trucks, expired safety stickers and motorcyclists without helmets.

However, Hawai'i leads the nation in seatbelt use.

There is a law against children riding in pickup truck beds.

Safety stickers only prove a vehicle passed inspection on one day of the year.

And depending on circumstances, motorcycle helmets can protect but can also kill by adding weight to the head, causing basal skull fractures and snapped necks as a result.

Therefore, the decision to wear or not wear is left up to the individual rider.

SUNSHINE LAW

LIMIT NUMBER OF BILLS HEARD AT LEGISLATURE

House Speaker Calvin Say (Commentary, March 14), said, "What would happen if the Legislature were to amend the Sunshine Law to include itself? The legislative pace and process would be slower, and the amount of legislation passed would be significantly less. The Legislature has too many issues to tackle during the 60-day session."

Well, Calvin, if you really believe this statement, why didn't you or any of your colleagues introduce legislation to give the City Council a similar exemption?

Does anyone think that the city government is less effective than the state, despite working on far fewer bills each year?

The solution to the issue you raised is simple: Instead of flooding the Legislature with thousands of bills each year, most of which never get a hearing, apply the Sunshine Law to yourselves. Then, limit the number of bills each member can introduce — let's say five bills apiece — and give every bill a hearing and a vote, not just the Democratic bills.

This would force legislators to set priorities and address the urgent issues affecting their districts, rather than churning out thousands of hasty and ill-conceived bills that don't get careful consideration.

Last I checked, the state motto wasn't changed to "The life of the land be damned — we're too busy to perpetuate righteousness."

OCEAN

RUNNING OUT OF TIME TO SAVE MARINE RESOURCES

In response to the March 8 story "Gill net fishers get new rules," I would like to thank Peter Young and the Department of Land and Natural Resources for taking a much-needed step toward protecting our marine resources.

As a sport fisherman and boat skipper for more than 23 years, I've observed a decline in Hawai'i's fish populations, not only in their number, but also their size.

Lay gill nets are not the only reason for this decline, but because of their indiscriminate nature they are a big part of the problem.

A statewide ban might be more helpful in the long term, but this is a good first effort.

We now need to concentrate on giving our DOCARE officers the resources and community support they need to better enforce these restrictions and other rules meant to improve our fish populations.

Fishers who are concerned about the overfishing and bad fishing practices they see in our waters need to call their legislators and tell them to support bills that will protect our nearshore ocean. I've seen such a change, just in my lifetime, that I believe we are running out of time to save our fish.

GILL NET RESTRICTION WILL HELP OUR FISHERIES

I'm pleased with Gov. Linda Lingle's decision to severely restrict the use of lay gill nets. It is a landmark decision, and Peter Young and the Department of Land and Natural Resources should be commended for taking this step to enhance our fisheries.

As a marine scientist living in Hawai'i since 1950, I'm shocked at the decline I've seen in our nearshore reefs and fishes. I hope that these restrictions will be taken seriously by the public and strictly enforced by the state. With any luck, our marine life may recover as in other areas in the Pacific, such as Fiji and the Solomon Islands, which banned gill nets many years ago and are seeing increases in fish size and number.

We must remain vigilant about caring for our degraded ocean. A "right to fish" bill being considered at the state Senate right now would give unparalleled power to commercial fisheries, undermine marine science and leave us with an ocean in greater crisis.

Instead of focusing on legislation that makes it easier for a select few to overfish Hawai'i's ocean, we should be talking about long-term measures needed to recover our fishes from overexploitation.