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the biocontrol – I was very much involved in this biocontrol issue – I got involved – I live in lower <br />Puna and I have a large acreage and a lot of waiwi and I enjoy my waiwi and I think it’s actually <br />considered an ornamental fruit tree – before you start getting into the invasive species label and <br />it was brought here, actually, during the time of when Thomas Jefferson was president – so it’s <br />like here over 200 years and it’s a hardwood – it’s got a lot uses and I think we’re being <br />extremely insensitive \[unclear\]… <br /> <br />AA: Sorry, Mr. Singer, hello… <br /> <br />SS: I’m here… <br /> <br />AA: You’re coming in sporadically… <br /> <br />SS: Oh, that’s too bad. All right – let me try again. Hello? <br /> <br />AA: You come in clear and then you get blotchy… <br /> <br />SS: Well, I’m sorry about that – well, I’m in lower Puna like I said so we have cell phone – can you <br />hear me now, are we in a good position? <br /> <br />AA: You’re good right now as you speak… <br /> <br />SS: OK. I’ll stand where I am right now facing this direction. I was saying that when we were dealing <br />with the waiwi issue – one of the problems is there are a lot of people who do value it – it is an <br />ornamental fruit tree – it’s in a lot of people’s yards and when you use biocontrol – the <br />biocontrol knows no boundaries and it does spread and the fact that they’ve already released it <br />against public opinion – against the county council’s resolution – against like over 5,000 petition <br />signatures opposing this insect release – they’ve released it anyway – which shows a lot of <br />disrespect – it’s adversely affecting groups of people and sub-cultures inequitably. Some people <br />are going to suffer more than others by the loss of waiwi – and by the impact that would have <br />on hunting. And I think in our time right now – in our culture – we realize it’s very important to <br />be equitable and to respect the needs of various members of our community and depending on <br />whatever income they have and what culture they have and for many people waiwi is part of <br />their culture and part of their life and I think it adversely affects certain groups more than others <br />to attack the waiwi and I don’t think that’s being considered. I also thinks it’s extremely tone <br />deaf in this time of inflation to with prices going up with food being scarce – you’re talking about <br />getting rid of a food source – to me that’s self-destructive and extremely insensitive to what’s <br />going on right now – we need to be expanding our food resources on the island not destroying <br />them – so right now – in current history – am I coming in clearly before I continue? <br /> <br />AA: Yes… <br /> <br />SS: OK. I think it’s important to respect a food source. Many people need that. Times are tough. This <br />is not the time to talk about getting rid of waiwi or what waiwi feeds, which are the pigs. You’re <br />also talk about – I think it’s important to know another problem with biocontrol – why is this an <br />issue? You say the cat’s out of the bag – if it was out of the bag you wouldn’t be encouraging <br />further biocontrol releases by helicopter drops of infested leaves – it’s not like that’s the answer <br />– if you – if it was spread so widely now – you wouldn’t have to take those measures and I really <br />18 <br /> <br /> <br />