Kaua'i Meeting with Lingle
Sept 20, 2007
Testimony Transcribed on the Fly

This is our best at transcribing what was said. If you were there and spoke, email your comments to with your testimony and we'll post it here.

A man from the Polynesian Kingdom. He was at the protests. He said, "If they are going to come to Kaua'i and run the boat over the people, they are sadly mistaken." (Loud applause.) "We come with peace and respect, but the police didn't respect us."

A woman asked, "How is everyone on the panel [referring to Lingle, Fukunaga, Coast Guard and Kaua'i Mayor] going to feel if someone dies due to the protest. It's a reality because people are willing to lie down in front of the cars."  

Councilwoman said, "We welcome you with passion and aloha, but there is too much at stake for the island so we will speak openly." She asked everyone to speak with aloha. "We pray that what unfolds tonight will lead to the highest good for Kaua'i and our state."

"We expect our leaders to be thorough, thoughtful and farsighted. "

"We will strive to be intellectually honest. We respect and acknowledge that you might have information that we do not have, but we ask that you answer our questions honestly. "

"Why has the state, under your leadership, fought an EIS for the Superferry if you believe in the spirit of the law? The environmental laws are there for everyone. "

"We who love Kaua'i feel that at a minimum, we need an EIS. "

"Why is the State not letting the legal process run it's course?"

"We are reeling from the first misinterpreting of the law, why take the chance of reeling from a second mistake?"

"Why are you pushing the Kaua'i route so heavily? It's not going to make a big difference to HSF. Please be honest with us. And finally, what does HSF have to do with national security? If it does, why weren't we told up front, especially when the taxpayers of Hawaii paid $40M in State funds? Why wasn't the National Security Fund used instead? " (Standing ovation for councilwoman)

Lingle replied, "My answers may not be the ones you want to hear."

"I want to be clear on one point: We're not here tonight to make a decision about when the HSF will come to Nawiliwili, because we've made that decision already." (loud boos and jeers)

"What does HSF have to do with Nat'l Security?" I (Lingle) don't know what HSF has to do with Nat'l Security. We didn't deceive the Legislature about HSF. "

A woman said, "We are representing the whales, dolphins, honu, manta ray. You defended HSF and lack of EIS by saying it's not been required before. That thing (HSF) is like nothing else that has come here before. "

"Initially it was said 'we'll use sonar'. We now know that even with sonar they wouldn't be able to avoid marine mammals. We have a vision for Kaua'i and I don't think you've heard it, Gov. Lingle. We want sustainability. "

"We want solar panels on all state and county buildings. You have money to spend for HSF, let's get solar power. Let's get wind turbine generators. "

"I don't think that you have been listening to our voices. I think you've been listening to big business. I was in the water and exercising my right of free speech. I appreciate the Coast Guard, but that night they were not being nice. Had I not been a strong swimmer I would've been injured by their zodiac boat."

"We are speaking for 7 generations into the future. We do not own this land; we are stewards of the land. You are in your office because you were elected. You have the responsibility of kuleana."

"Look at economy of USA. It has not put money into the infrastructure and sustainability. We don't want your ship bringing in problems to Kaua'i. We saw what happened to Maui and Oahu. This is sacred land. Hear our voices. "

A man said, "We feel we weren't considered in all this. You seemed to listen to big business and Oahu."

"We hear that HSF is overwhelmingly supported. That might be true for Oahu, so let HSF sail around Oahu." (cheers)

Woman said, "I've written top you (Lingle) but not gotten any personal responses."

"It used to take 20 mins to get to work, but now it takes 45 mins."

"We do not have infrastructure to support the traffic."

"We've heard that HSF is just another business and should be allowed to operate. But this can bring drugs, homeless, etc. Look at what happened with the rocks on Maui."

"I came out to show my support for the unified community that is demanding an EIS," Nawiliwili resident Carl Berg said. "I did not come to hear the governor lecture me in a strident and provocative manner about the consequences of our peaceful exercising of our First Amendment rights."

Lost connection -- transcript ends only 1/3 the way through the meeting.