Dialogue and Compromise Are the Keys to Success
By Hawaii State Senator Shan S. Tsutsui
As the population of Maui County has increased, it has become apparent that we continue to experience the pains that come with an expanding community. Many of our new kama‘aina have ideas of how things should be done based on their outside experience, while many long-time kama‘aina remember the traditional approach to doing things.
This difference in views is bound to make for vibrant and sometimes heated discussions. In some cases we agree on the end result, but disagree in how to achieve it. Still, the discussion is vital to the success of any new undertaking that will ultimately affect the general community.
A process that includes the community’s voice is an important opportunity to both refine one’s own position and, just as importantly, to truly listen to what others have to say. In today’s seemingly self-centered environment, the art of listening threatens to become a relic of the past, and may soon be added to the endangered species list.
At the center of every productive discussion should be those with good sensible ideas and solutions offering win-win outcomes. We cannot responsibly leave decisions to the loudest voices or deepest pockets. Undoubtedly, there are many in our community who have productive comments to add but hesitate to enter the often raucous exchanges of those clamoring for attention. The formation of Focus Maui Nui, Maui General Plan Advisory Committee, and other community groups has given these people, the quieter voices of reason, their chance to be heard.
Two recent projects involving the state government have stirred up much controversy on Maui. The Hawaii Superferry and the Malulani Hospital proposal serve as examples of what happens when a proper dialogue is not established between proponents and the community.
The Hawaii Superferry is in troubled waters because of a series of bad decisions. For more than three years, state lawmakers, the Maui County Council, and many Maui residents have been asking the Hawaii Superferry and the State Department of Transportation to address concerns like traffic and environmental impacts. Yet both the Superferry and the DOT insisted they did all that was required of them.
Instead of trying to address concerns that arose after the Hawaii State Supreme Court ruled that more needed to be done, the owners of the Superferry opted not only to continue operations, but to move up their launch date. In my opinion, that was not a good decision. To many observers it showed both a disregard for the law and a troubling lack of respect for the voice of the community.
The Malulani Hospital is another proposal which failed to gain widespread community support. Almost everyone on Maui would agree that we need another acute-care hospital. The Malulani project proposed the establishment of an acute-care hospital in South Maui while converting Maui Memorial Medical Center from an acute-care to a long-term care facility. In the end we would still have only one major acute-care hospital on our island. Yes, I support the establishment of another hospital, but not at the expense of an existing facility that provides vital services to a large segment of Maui’s population. Instead of working with different community stakeholders, the proponents of Malulani completely neglected those who raised concerns and decided to bash them for it.
Similar to the superferry, proponents of Malulani hospital sought an exemption to the state law to allow the project to move forward. If the Certificate of Need (CON) process is not needed, then the whole process should be examined from a statewide perspective. When it comes to healthcare, I believe what is good for one is good for all. After all, everyone should have equal access to vital healthcare services.
The creation of the Maui Health Care Initiative Task Force will allow us to take an objective look at how to increase the quality and capacity of healthcare service throughout the county.
A “my way or the highway” attitude is not productive. Too often those close to a project are blinded by their certainty and unable to take a reasonable approach. Real effort is required to maintain the kind of community focus that serves all the people of Maui and takes all legislative concerns to heart. Equally important is every critic’s willingness to provide reasonable solutions to problems. Those who rest their entire opposition on a shout of “no” may feel they are expressing passionate beliefs, but in reality show an unwillingness to be reasonable or responsible.
Maui will continue to grow, and we will continue to find ourselves on different sides of questions that could have profound impacts on our community. Our success in dealing with these issues will rest on our ability to listen more than we speak, and to give respect in exchange for better solutions.