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understand the secret agenda—well, not so secret agenda—of the pro-GMO faction in this effort before you. This is dirty business, and I know that as an ethics committee it’s your duty not to fall for that and not to go in that way. I’m astounded that they would bend this low to forward their agenda, but it just shows me that they’re afraid. They’re very afraid of the truth and people like Brenda Ford that stand forward for all of us and our future generations. This is serious, very serious business before you. I implore you to think about it very carefully and wisely, and the ramifications for our island. Thank you so much. <br /> <br /> Mr. Balsis called up Eric Weinert, who also had signed up to testify regarding agenda item 4a. <br /> <br />MR. WEINERT: Good morning. My name is Eric Weinert. I’m the general manager of Calavo Growers. We are the largest exporter of GMO rainbow papaya from Hawai‘i island to the U.S. mainland. I filed this complaint because I do feel there is an ethical violation. I, too, have sat through every meeting for Bill 79, and either 109 or 110, and 113, and the bill that Brenda introduced would ban all GMO papaya. And I just feel that there’s a conflict of interest when she claims to be a commercial, organic, non-GMO papaya grower and then trying to put her competitors out of business by introducing legislation. She should either have said I’ve got an ethical conflict of interest, which I don’t believe she’s ever said, or she should say she recuses herself from voting on these issues. So the first thing I would do is establish whether in fact what she says it’s true. Is she a commercial organic non-GMO papaya? She says that she has a quarter acre. I came up to her when she was in the room and she said yeah, I sell to a—I couldn’t buy it, but she sells to a particular person. She didn’t tell me who, and she said that she could look at my Schedule F, that that’s her income, it was reported. So I just feel there’s a conflict of interest. And I thank you for hearing me. I hope you guys establish whether she is a commercial grower or not, because if she’s not, these bills target and make commercial growers register. So even—but the definition of commercial isn’t defined. So if a quarter acre is what is defined as commercial acre—growers—you need to find out how many trees that is, because everyone who has that many trees under the legislation that’s proposed will be required to register their crops and the herbicides and pesticides that they use. So her statement is on the public record, it’s on the videotape. If you need me to, I can find it for you. Thank you. <br /> <br /> Mr. Balsis called up Kerri Marks, who had not signed up but indicated she wanted to testify. She was instructed to fill out the registration form after she testified. <br /> <br />MS. MARKS: Good morning, everybody. I just wanted to sit down real quick and say that I support Brenda Ford. I think of all—personally, I think of all the nine councilmembers we have, she’s probably the most ethical one that we have. I would remind you, last year when you heard the complaint against absences for some other councilmembers, that I think it was pointed out then that Brenda had the best attendance record of all the councilmembers then, and she does now. So I support