2007-06-05 TSUPERSTORES - Laserfiche WebLink

Home

and you may all want to seek a legal opinion from your legal representation, not Mr. Yuen. Mr. Yuen is the Planning Director, he’s not the guy that gives you legal opinions. Thank you. ALAMEDA: Thank you. Any questions? Yes, go ahead. SIRACUSA: Just one for clarification. You say you support the ban and you are opposed to the amendment 5a on our agenda item. You’re opposed to superstores on any Hawaiian Home lands. Are you also then also opposed to superstores, period, not on Hawaiian Home lands? KAHAWAIOLA‘A: I would be because, and that’s only based on what I’ve read in the newspaper, because that’s the only way we get information anyway, how we get any information. And they only suggested two places that you could have a superstore: One was on Hawaiian Home lands and the other was at Shipman Industrial Park, that’s the only two places. And I doubt if Shipman is going to allow a, but they may and the guys in Puna may be happy; I don’t know. But anything to deal with Hawaiian Home lands, no, because Hawaiian Home lands should be for pastoral, agricultural and residential. It should not be used for commercial. They have over 60 acres of our land being used there and everybody in Hilo benefits from it. Everybody in Hilo benefits from 60 acres of Hawaiian Home lands being used while our list of waiting applicants grow every day. So yes if they build something for the general public on our lands you should have oversight. For the general public you should have the oversight because I think you, you are the people that should care for the general public. But if it’s for me, nah, stay away. Thank you. ALAMEDA: Thank you. Seeing no further questions, thank you Uncle Pat. Mahalo. All right last but not least, Donald, can you please state your name and address for the record. WESSELS: Donald Wessels. I’m from Pepeekeo. ALAMEDA: All right, go ahead. WESSELS: I’ve got a statement here. ALAMEDA: Sure. WESSELS: In my research of Wal-Mart I discovered that they are not a monopoly but a monopsony. A monopsony produces the same economic problems as does a monopoly. While monopoly allows overcharging of customers, a monopsony can dictate underpaying suppliers. SIRACUSA: Would you bring your mike closer to your mouth, please. WESSELS: I’m sorry. This eventually forces the suppliers to cut corners, produce lower wages, poorer working conditions, and outsourcing of production and off-shoring to corporate tax havens. What this means locally is many of the so-called Hawaiian products sold in Wal-Mart are made in such places as Nicaragua or China. And they don’t use Hawaiian suppliers because they can’t EXHIBIT D 21