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Page p ~ Environment Hawai i i February ~qq~
<br /> Wong for arranging the meedngs> which; -"'"Gm, the Honolulu councilwoman repre- .
<br /> jYrRC~1lItE072 "wereveryhelpfiiltoourfiurlterundersrand- ,encingKapalama,hadagreedtopaniupate,
<br />
<br /> frmn page 3 ing of the Hawaiian agriculnrral economy, although Ikeda later bowed out. Kim ended
<br /> the status of the tropical fruit industry, and up the only elected official going on the trip
<br /> ~ ~ the need and desire for a radiation facility for ro Chicago, with her way paid by the state
<br /> quarantine control... Exotic Pesc Insect Committee. Ocher, travel-
<br /> The Curtain Rises "The several ocher issues we discussed ing in party were Okudaza and JVendy
<br /> whiclineedfirrrherimmediateattentionwere: Sanemitsu, born with the Exotic Pest Insect
<br /> While Wong was overseeing shipments to "a. How do we organize the growers to Committee;LetitiaUyehara,depurydirector
<br /> Chicago, he was simultaneously attempting enstuethatsufBcientquantitiesoftopq»aliry ofdrestateDepartmentofAgriculture;Sam
<br /> to lay the groundwork for constnrction of an papaya are sent for the radiation quarantine Hugh of Ham Produce, the Honolulu food
<br /> irradiation facility in Hawaii. Less than a treatment on a wnsistenc basis.., broker, and Mike Strong, the grower from
<br /> month afrec the shipments began, George "b.Howcanwe,orrhestareortheAitpott Kauai.
<br /> Died, senior vice president of Isomedix, Authority, solve the need for a refrigerated Kim's trip, compliments of the stare, was
<br /> seemed to believewnscmctionofanirradia- sroragecapaciry? nottheonlyeffotttowinpoliticalsuppottfor
<br /> for in Hawaii was a foregone conclusion. In "c The Bishop `Gem' property locadon irradiation. As eazly as Mazch x994, Wong
<br /> aletterdatedMay3r,t99S,Die¢wroteWong and proposed equity position presened by was talking with Chauncey Ching of the
<br /> and Michael Strong: "Ac this point we can Jon[Okudara,oftheExoticPescInseccCom- Washingon staffofSenatorDaniel Inouye.
<br /> probably agree that: mittee] would appeaz, in principle, to be In a letter ro Ching dated Mazch r4, Wong
<br /> "a. Radiation is the technically preferred promised to keep Ching "apprised of our
<br /> quarantine treatment for tropical fruits. `talks' on irradiation... The most attractive
<br /> "b. Radiation appears to be ewnomically Several boxes ofpapaya and lychee planappearstobeajoincvenmrewichUSDA-
<br /> competitive with sttff~cient volume through- wem sent to Palsy Mink's office. ARS [Agricultural Research Service] for a
<br /> put. All of
<br /> it arrived cooked and in pilot irradiazor on O`ahu." Wong closed by
<br /> ` c The lead-time for installation of an + promising ro stop by for a visit when he was
<br /> irradiator once all permits aze issued is about pretty bad condition. " in Washington the next week, "time permit-
<br /> ro-rznvonths." ling "
<br /> Die¢ went on to suggest setting up a A yeaz lacer, just before the second ship-
<br /> conference call with Wong and Strong ro acceptable. Jon indicated that he would fol- ment of fruit to Chicago was made, Wong,
<br /> discuss the vagaries of mazkedng the irradi- low up on his attempts to identify a potential Strong, and Weiuen mecwich scaffofRepre-
<br /> aced produce. "Obviously, there must be a investor who might be interested in funding sentarive Patsy Mink in Washington. In a
<br /> mazkec for the irradiated product before we the radiation shield. follow-up letter co James Nakacani, director
<br /> forgeaheadwirhanirradiator,"heconcluded. "As indicated at the meeting, Isomedix ofthesrareDepattmencofAgticulmre,Mink
<br /> Within a couple of weeks, Wong and would be prepazed to provide the irradiator, said she was "pleased with the results of This
<br /> others had arranged a roar of the islands for source mechanism, and the Co-Go source." meeting" and the work of the "tropical fruit
<br /> Diea, his boss, John Masefield, president of By October x995. Isotnedix was stillwait- working group," which, Mink noted, was
<br /> Isomedix, and Jim Corrigan of Carrot Top ing for a response. On October zo, Die¢ "developing procedures co allow small ship-
<br /> (alongwich theirspouses). On July6, inHilo, wrote Wong, indicating he was still waiting menu of tropical fruit out of Hawaii for
<br /> They met with about 3o growers, packers, and for Okudara ro send him land rental rates for irradiation treatment and maz~lcecing on the
<br /> govemmenc agency representatives (indud- a site in Kapalama. "Jon," Die¢ condntted, mainland. I believe that dris bodes well for
<br /> ing one USDAofficialfromBeltsville,Mazy- "also said he submitted a proposal to the c~urentandfunuediversifirationinHawai is
<br /> land). Bishop Estate trustees regarding Their `Gem' agriculture industries."
<br /> The following day, Wong had Macefield, property location and possible interest in an (Several boxes of papaya and lychee were
<br /> Died, and Corrigan meet in Honolulu with equity position in the irradiator. No response sent co Mink's office from chat second ship-
<br /> otherparties interested in pursuing develop- yet from Jon." menc. According ro Wong, all of it "arrived
<br /> ment of such a facility. In addition to "Therewas a possibleinreresc in parcidpa- cooked and in pretty bad wndition.")
<br /> Masefield, Die¢, Comgan, and Wong, at- cion by Hawaiian Electric," Die¢ went on to In June, Wong drafted a letter sent out by
<br /> tending this "conscmction costs meeting" say. "Anything further?" (In fact, nothing Nakatani to Senators Inouye and Daniel
<br /> were representatives from the state Depart- furcherabotitpossibleparticipationbyBishop Akaka. Nakarani informed the senazors of
<br /> menc of Transportation (including its Air- EsrateorHawaiianElectticappearsinWong's plansforcheJuner4shipmentofpapayaand
<br /> ports Division), the Bank of Hawaii, and an files.) lychee, which would be accompanied by two
<br /> engineering firm. University of Hawaii researchers, a USDA
<br /> Political Pul( official from Hilo, Strong, Hugh, and Wong.
<br /> Finding a Sire In that same memo, Dietz went on co men- In response, Mazk Fox, legislative assistant
<br /> Apattfromthesign-insheec,noofficialtewrd tionthatOkudata"wastryingtosetupavisit coInouye,wroteNakatani,mentioningthac
<br /> appears to have been made of that meeting. byseveralofyoureleccedrepresenratives,plus the senaror's office had "been staying in
<br /> Still, Erom later correspondence, it seems as representatives of the Kapalama area." contact with Dr. Lyle Wong and Mr. Mike
<br /> though various people in attendance were co By eazly November, the trip involving Strong, and the Senator was pleased to learn
<br /> follow up with inquiries wncerning possible elected officials had been arranged to accom- of the additional shipments... Please con-
<br /> sitesandotherquestionsrelatingrofinancing. panytheNovemberrsshipment.BothDonna time to keep Senator Inouye apprised of
<br /> [n a letter co Wong dated July t8, r999, Ikeda, then chairwoman of the state Senate further developments, and do not hesitare to
<br /> Masefield,thepresidenrof7somedix,thanked Ways and Means Committee, and Donna ,See "tnadiation'; pages
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