i L i n d . n e t

Did you catch the Maui News “sour grapes” editorial this week in response to Gov. Lingle’s speech to the Native Hawaiian Chamber of Commerce? Lingle had blasted the business community for not providing enough active political support for the Superferry.

The Maui News responded by pointing to its own reporting and strong support by the Maui Chamber of Commerce.

But the editorial then calls Lingle’s failure to follow established environmental procedures the “fatal flaw” in the Superferry affair.

Frankly, we are tired of politicians who will not admit they made a mistake. Fess up, governor, your administration blew it. The Superferry may not have made it even with an EIS, but without one, it was doomed. And your administration is the one that let it sail without one.

So, governor, the next time you are looking for someone to blame for the failure of the ferry, try looking in the mirror. Without that personal admission, everything else is just sour grapes.

Strong words from the heart of Lingle’s home turf, Maui County.

You also shouldn’t miss Rick Daysog’s story in yesterday’s Honolulu Advertiser concerning Sandwich Isles Communcations, the local company run by Al Hee, brother of State Senator Clayton Hee, which has tapped into a special federal fund to finance its provision of communications services to Dept. of Hawaiian Home Lands areas. Good story, and I was glad to see it in the newspaper.

But readers of Aaron Stene’s The Kona Blog read this same news at the end of August, complete with links to the official documents.

And he moved ahead again with an entry yesterday about another huge funding request from Sandwich Isles.

Good job, Aaron.