HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 0212.217 1996-1998
65/06/1997 10:14 808-929-9974 BEHRMQNN & CASTAING PAGE 01
May 6, 1997
Zb:County CUUncil Memebers
RE: Bill ~ 62 $2 million for a post harvest Treatment FaC},l,~ty.
Meeting; May 7, 1997 f
From: Helen Behrmann & Marcus Castaing "~7 ('~iiY 6 10 27
PO Box 483 Na'alehu, Hawaii 96772 CC "
COU;~~~~ ~ ;,r HFVJAII
Dear Wunty ~uncil I+le~nbezs:
We A[?AMANIZ,Y OpPpSE the use of our taxes to build an irradiator on this
island. We troth run sucessful small business's in rural I~au and have only
survived by our own initiative without the support of taxpayers' money.
why a large outside rorporation should be supported in this manner, when
the people who live in rural areas, such as xau R Harriakua are struggling
to survive, is beyond all justification. We are told that this will help
the economics of this isle, especially farmers. The people who need
support do not need an irradiator. They are not in a portion to take
advantage of this plant. The persons who will benefit from this are the
big growers on this island who already have what they need. Growing food
that will be exported is not the solution to the problems of this island.
Growing food that will be bought and eaten on this isle is. ~r can be
exported after "value added" processing, which creates more jobs. The
oou„ty should help small farniers set up processing facilities for cooking
or drying. Which would expand small farm opportunities. We import over 709
of our food. That is a crime. The reason more food is not grown to sustain
the island is because there is not the infrastructure to support it. The
$2 million spent on this foolish venture would better spent on creating
this kind of support. If you truly care about rural agriculture you can
only vote against this irradiation plant. Lets focus our attention on the
real needs of small farmers.
Coma. D1a211211•LI--~._
Ma%~ ing S Helen Behr[r~nn(/`^~~ J ~ /lL ire. RN~1 ~~t~~
C'~~~~ '
Ret. T'at~,W1y