This week, when the New York Times exposed corruption in Hawaii politics, we looked at how it's impacting Hawaii travel. Let's say the pineapple is torn to the core with all its juicy details. This NYT article of his mentions many players in Hawaii's travel industry. And sadly, as we'll see, that explains a lot.
In the past, many people have left comments asking why conditions look so dilapidated, including beach restrooms, roads and highways, airport runways, and other facilities in Hawaii. There was a question about where the taxes you pay go to, and now we have some answers.
Milton Choi, a prominent Hawaiian businessman, was working with the federal government to help unravel the scandal. He wore a “wire” for a year to show that state officials were taking bribes from him. The storyline is exactly like Hawaii Five-0.
Hawaii's elites have long participated in secret late-night political fundraisers.
They were often in a discreet location, hidden and out of sight, at 800 S. Beretania Street in Honolulu (see photo). The parties then moved. Featuring food and unlimited alcohol, this get-together has long served as a networking party at the intersection of Hawaii politics and business, and has had a huge impact on our beloved Hawaii's travel industry.
Then, at the end of the party, the organizers, who are politicians and former senior Hawaii Department of Transportation/Airport officials, distribute funds to political campaigns based on pre-event pledges. These parties are said to have become legendary, with lobbyists and executives meeting with politicians to gain favor with Hawaii government contracts, many of which are related to tourism and infrastructure projects important to Hawaii's travel industry. are doing.
Could this be part of the reason why Hawaii's tourism industry is depressed?
And even though I lived in Hawaii for decades, this was difficult for me to read. The parties were reportedly hosted by Wes Yonamine, who was then the director of the Hawaii Department of Transportation's airport branch.
Despite purported efforts to curb such inappropriate, if not illegal, transactions, the money continues to flow and undermines Hawaii's political culture, which remains deeply intertwined with private corporate interests. It's highlighted.
The report says these rallies are popular and account for a significant portion of campaign funding across Hawaii. According to the report, these Yonamine parties consistently collect large amounts of donations, boosting the annual election income of some politicians. These cases link corporate interests with Hawaii politicians and can impact the success or failure of Hawaii tourism.
First, the impact on Hawaii's airports is significant.
These events could have had a major impact on Hawaii's airports, which are critical nodes in the state's most important travel infrastructure. Funders have been working to expand, repair, and renovate the airport, as well as awarding contracts in areas critical to maintaining and enhancing the Hawaii traveler experience, including operations and capacity. The timing of these generous campaign contributions in relation to tourism contracts raises significant questions regarding the integrity of Hawaii's travel infrastructure contracting process.
Despite these obvious concerns, decades of efforts to reform the system have been met with resistance, given whose money is at stake. It's no surprise now that the Hawaii Legislature's feeble attempts to close the campaign loopholes that allow such donations have repeatedly failed.
The impact on Hawaii's travel industry is severe.
Commenting on the situation, the director of Common Cause Hawaii said that “pay to play” is woven into the state's DNA and has been since the overthrow of the Hawaiian Kingdom.
According to the article, an analysis of the situation revealed that over the past 18 years, officials from government contractors have donated tens of millions of dollars to Hawaii politicians. It was also noted that virtually all donations were made through donors who did not mention the companies involved, helping to obscure the relationship.
Among the contractors mentioned was SSFM, whose president had previously pleaded no contest to money laundering but subsequently donated $130,000 to various politicians. It turns out that one of those projects includes Honolulu Airport Taxiway Engineering.
Other notable Hawaii figures include Lieutenant Governor Sylvia Luke, who oversaw the initial response to Maui's wildfires, and who received more than $107,000, the NYT reported.
In 2021, Goodfellow Brothers, a contractor previously reported to have worked on the Maui Airport runway restoration, also won a $4.6 million Maui reclamation deal. Following the project's approval, the NYT reported that Goodfellow executives and family members donated $34,000 in campaign contributions to Maui's mayor and city council members, making them one of Maui's most prominent political donors. Announced.
While it's legal for Hawaii lawmakers to continue working other jobs despite receiving more than $70,000 a year in compensation from the state, it can raise obvious concerns. The NYT points out that State Senate President Ron Couch, a native of Kauai, earns an additional $50,000 to $100,000 a year through employment at his brother's company, which provides government services here on Kauai. He pointed out that it is the only company that provides garbage services.
NAN Inc., another major contractor at the Honolulu Airport, was also mentioned. “Rep. Mika Aiu is an attorney for Nunn Co., one of the state's largest contractors that won at least $39 million in projects last year. They are not directly involved in their company's contracts. ” NAN Inc. was awarded an approximately $150 million contract at the Honolulu Airport last year for a baggage handling system.
Hawaii's airports remain the focus of the problem.
Many of the corporate guests at these political campaign parties did business at Hawaii's airports, resulting in more than $130 million in business transactions. The NYT noted that “At least 59 companies competed for airport contracts from 2014 to 2020. But nearly half of the airport's 153 professional services contracts went to just 14 companies.”
Hawaii's airports remain far from world-class, although they are critical gateways to the success of a tourism-dependent economy, and they are also lucrative hotspots for political and corporate maneuvering.
This sad state of affairs in Hawaii travel also highlights the broader influence of political funding in Hawaii and calls for a re-evaluation of these practices regarding transparency and the health of Hawaii travel.
We look forward to hearing from you.
