July 2, 2008
The Maui News
It may take a legion of lawyers, a battalion of bureaucrats and an army of accountants to unravel the increasingly tangled affairs of Molokai Properties Ltd., which has shut down Molokai Ranch and is threatening to shut down two water companies and a sewage treatment system.
It seems when the conglomerate GuocoLeisure Ltd. bought the ranch in 1987, its investment strategy failed to consider how its plans would be met by the people of Molokai. Although the comparison is admittedly far-fetched, it sounds like GuocoLeisure made the same mistakes the U.S. made when it invaded Iraq - not enough attention paid to possible, or probable, consequences.
Some 1,200 residents of Molokai are now pawns in a three-way struggle between the state, county and Molokai Properties Ltd., which says it cannot afford to keep losing money on the two water systems.
Molokai Properties wants a subsidy in addition to higher rates. There is a strong implication the land company is ready to abandon the systems. Maui County's legal position is that the utilities should be forced to remain in operation. The county contends it is not able nor legally required to provide the utility services, and that Molokai Properties should face monetary and criminal penalties if it doesn't follow PUC orders. There are some who say it is the state that should be responsible for continuing services if Molokai Properties doesn't.
The situation poses some interesting questions:...
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Monday, July 7, 2008
Grant helps ready Moloka‘i Science Mobile
Grant helps ready Moloka‘i Science Mobile
1 July, 2008
Maui Weekly
Even after the closure of Moloka‘i Ranch shut down the only movie theater on the island, Moloka‘i keiki will be able to watch movies—and even make their own. A $25,000 grant from Dowling Community Improvement Foundation is giving Maui Media Lab Foundation (MMLF) the ability to complete the transformation of an old school bus into a “science-mobile,” equipped with satellite TV, wireless internet, and a full HD quality audio visual studio for recording and engineering. The bus, donated to MMLF by MEO, was refurbished by students from Hana, Baldwin and Kekaulike high schools who supplied clean-up, welding, power installation and other work. After re-painting by Moloka‘i High School students, the bus will be housed at the Hawaiian Learning Center and will travel to various schools and events on Moloka‘i where students will learn to film their own sports events, encode the video with software and put it up on their own digital television channel.
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1 July, 2008
Maui Weekly
Even after the closure of Moloka‘i Ranch shut down the only movie theater on the island, Moloka‘i keiki will be able to watch movies—and even make their own. A $25,000 grant from Dowling Community Improvement Foundation is giving Maui Media Lab Foundation (MMLF) the ability to complete the transformation of an old school bus into a “science-mobile,” equipped with satellite TV, wireless internet, and a full HD quality audio visual studio for recording and engineering. The bus, donated to MMLF by MEO, was refurbished by students from Hana, Baldwin and Kekaulike high schools who supplied clean-up, welding, power installation and other work. After re-painting by Moloka‘i High School students, the bus will be housed at the Hawaiian Learning Center and will travel to various schools and events on Moloka‘i where students will learn to film their own sports events, encode the video with software and put it up on their own digital television channel.
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MPL letter reaffirms position on utilities
MPL letter reaffirms position on utilities
By HARRY EAGAR, Staff Writer
July 1, 2008
The Maui News
In a letter to the Public Utilities Commission, Molokai Ranch has repeated its position that without outside money it will have to shut down its Molokai utilities Aug. 31.
The June 23 letter presents balance sheets showing actual and anticipated losses at the two water companies and the sewage treatment system. It says Molokai Properties Ltd., owner of the ranch, has had to inject almost $1.2 million in cash into the utilities over the past two years to cover losses and capital expenses.
The letter was a response to a PUC demand on June 13 for information about the utilities' application for a temporary rate increase.
In its own letter to the PUC, attorneys for Maui County argued that the utilities should be forced to remain in operation, and rejected the proposal that the county acquire the aging sewer and water systems. The county repeated its contention that it is not able to and not legally required to provide utility services.
The county response also noted that despite claiming to be insolvent, the utilities have not filed for bankruptcy.
"Should MPL continue to fail to comply with the PUC's orders, monetary and criminal penalties should be assessed," argued the county in its response,...
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By HARRY EAGAR, Staff Writer
July 1, 2008
The Maui News
In a letter to the Public Utilities Commission, Molokai Ranch has repeated its position that without outside money it will have to shut down its Molokai utilities Aug. 31.
The June 23 letter presents balance sheets showing actual and anticipated losses at the two water companies and the sewage treatment system. It says Molokai Properties Ltd., owner of the ranch, has had to inject almost $1.2 million in cash into the utilities over the past two years to cover losses and capital expenses.
The letter was a response to a PUC demand on June 13 for information about the utilities' application for a temporary rate increase.
In its own letter to the PUC, attorneys for Maui County argued that the utilities should be forced to remain in operation, and rejected the proposal that the county acquire the aging sewer and water systems. The county repeated its contention that it is not able to and not legally required to provide utility services.
The county response also noted that despite claiming to be insolvent, the utilities have not filed for bankruptcy.
"Should MPL continue to fail to comply with the PUC's orders, monetary and criminal penalties should be assessed," argued the county in its response,...
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Wednesday, July 2, 2008
Agency Alleges August Authorized Illegal Asset Transfers. Akaku's April Agrees.
Agency Alleges August Authorized Illegal Asset Transfers. Akaku's April Agrees.The Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs have requested another exemption from the law requiring public procurement of public access television services, citing His Honor Joel August's requirement that the Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs perform proper rule making when combined with the fact that the Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs declined to actually perform the proper rule making, that they committed to record in Judge August's courtroom, as the basis for the continued illegal procurement, read just giving money to someone with no basis in law, nor any enforcement of accountability.
Maybe Maui's honorable second circuit court might considering sharing their opinion on how they would expect any child in the State of Hawaii to ever take seriously again the jurisdiction of this court or any other in the face of such open corruption and conspiracy to evade the law by agents of the Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs, officers of the State Procurement Office and local political party chairs.
Is this really the intent of your decision your honor?
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