2003-07-28 TBLASMAN - Laserfiche WebLink

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opportunities that others provide for us to check ourselves and hone our skills, but I concur with you, Madam Chair. GIFFIN:Thank you. Mr. Togashi. TOGASHI:Let me just say that I do concur with the two preceding statements or comments. But -, in the same light, too. In my experience as a Commissioner, I think there is somewhat of a tendency to -, if the transcripts are not available, of the public testimony, to not perhaps give them less light but to -, I think there is maybe some tendency to perhaps not -, if you do not have the transcript, you do not have the opportunity to review the public testimony. So in that sense, if the transcripts are unavailable, I can see that happening. But if the transcripts are available for all parties, including the hearings panel, then there shouldn't be any reason why the public testimony is slighted in any manner. GIFFIN:Mr. Togashi, in preparation for all of our hearings, were you afforded the luxury of -? TOGASHI:Yes. GIFFIN:The record? TOGASHI:Yes. GIFFIN:Thank you. Mikahala. M.ROY:I appreciate all comments that have come to me, and I do b statements. My question is if those transcripts are barely made available to us, people participating in the proceeding, when does the public have a chance to run down to the Planning office and request? It's not there. Right at this time, they're not there. And it also gives the public one more hurdle to go through. You can appreciate that, like I say, in the beginning, the momentum is strong. And in 1980, these rooms were filled with p present testimony by witnesses that argue for reasons why they may not be filled today, but no less strong is the desire for the defense of this public process. And me, being one of the public, I have to ask the question today because I am not an attorney and I'm prevailing on you to tell me the truth. And Mr. Torigoe, does your mandate, is that in defense of the people? Would you say in your opinion that that defends the public's, protects the public from their right to hear and know, advise, be advised of what's going on? Because another thing is we weren't made aware of this process. No attorney spoke of this. You were there in the room in Waimea. No one spoke of this process to me. So, again, I made a decision, based on kind information. GIFFIN:Mikahala, I think that in deference to Mr. Torigoe, I would like to say that judging from what I remember of that meeting and your comments at that meeting and your body language at that meeting, I really do not recall that there was any indication that you were not 12