HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 1155.008 2004-2006
Testimony of Maria Batulanon
Nov. 28, 2006
County Council Meeting
Hilo
Testimony About Tradewinds
My name is Maria Batulanon and 1 live in O'okala all of my life. I am giving
testimony in behalf of my neighbor Joycelyn Embemate who is off island for medical
reasons.
I, Joycelyn Embemate, was born and raised here in O'okala. I grew up in Mill
Camp. This camp was below the sugar mill back when it was Kaiwiki Sugar.
Don Bryan talks about creation of jobs here in our community. Almost half of
O'okala homeowners are in their senior years, they do not need jobs, they need peace
and quiet. Everyone here likes our lifestyle, the peace and serenity here.
Tradewinds is a repeat of when Oji paper wanted to lease state land to grow
these eucalyptus trees. They also said they were going to hire our locals. Oji failed but
Prudential got Kamehameha Schools lands and they said the same thing. In the end
they brought their own equipment and laid off the locals.
Please do not get sucked into this again. We have no need to rush into creating
jobs because unemployment is virtually zero right now. Tradewinds just had a job fair in
Honoka'a and hardly anybody went. Don Bryan is already looking for labor from the
mainland. We know we do not have that many locals experienced to run power plants. I
worked for the sugar company for 28 years. 1 know how hard it was to get workers to
work in the boiler room.
I cherish where I live. I live right across the street from the mill site and I have a
perfect view of the ocean. With this mill and power plant in place, my appraised value of
my home and property will drop.
I am not against Don Bryan building a mill and power plant some place else. All I
am saying is have it put in a more appropriate place instead of in front of my home.
If you all were in our shoes, would you want an industrial business in your front of
your home? I definitely do not. This plant will force people to move away from their
roots.
Mayor Kim thinks our small communities make the Big Island special. He just
said that in a magazine. If this is for real, why are you allowing this to happen?
Thank you. 4% ~1*
Comm. 110.
Ref. To: Preset
Ref. Date , 1