HomeMy WebLinkAbout2024-03-05 PL-SMA-2023-000046 Avery Enriques Opposition Testimony From: Avery Enriaues
To: W PCtesti mono
Subject: Punalu'u Development Testimony
Date: Tuesday, March 5,2024 12:50:43 PM
Aloha,
Dear Windward Planning Commission and County of Hawai'i: I am a resident of Punalu'u and here is my testimony
in opposition of the proposed development!
Punalu'u is one of the last unspoiled natural habitats in Hawaii.There are very few places that still connect the
people of Hawaii to the land, sea,and wildlife.It is also one of the largest areas of land Hawai'i has that is
undeveloped which makes it so beautiful to those who visit and live here! The deep,tangible connection of
Hawaiians to their ancestral heritage continues to be pure at Punalu'u,but currently,we are at risk of losing another
vital part of our Hawaiian heritage to outside greed.
The proposed development of Punalu'u will have disastrous consequences to the ecosystem, specific species like the
Hawksbill turtle,monk seals and our avian populations.Once Punalu'u is developed,that tie to Hawaiians will be
broken and the environment irreversibly harmed.
Generations of Hawaiians have fought to repel outsiders from spoiling the land where they lived in harmony.
Hawaiians have continued to fight to protect their land,culture,livelihoods,and independence—such is another
fight now.
We still have the scars from generations of outsiders taking advantage of our Aloha.They take our land,appropriate
our culture,ignore our ancestral heritage,and steal our resources for their own gain.They grow their coffers of gold
with our labor and resources,never benefitting Hawaiians,only their own greed.History has shown us that our land
is an integral part of who we are as a culture.
We are stewards of our land where wildlife flourish and our ancestors reside in the rich soil,buried on the rise
overlooking Punalu'u.We steward this land for our ancestors and for our children.A gift in perpetuity that is now at
risk to be simply another resort to profit one,not the many.To profit an outsider with no aloha`aina,only deep
pockets.
It's time to pause and evaluate how these conglomerations of buildings will destroy our land and our heritage.We
have a sacred responsibility to honor our ancestors and protect our land.We need to fight like our ancestors fought.
We need to be in control of our legacy,not witness the destruction,once again,of our beloved Hawaii at the hands
of others.
Join us in fighting against outside greed and work towards protecting our land for us all!
Mahalo,
Avery Enriques