Today’s Maui News had an exciting headline today, “Panel Orders Water Into Streams.” In 2001, a petition was filed by the Native Hawaiian Legal Corporation, on the behalf of Na Moku Aupuni O Koolau Hui, who demanded that the state return water back to the streams in the East Maui Watershed. According to Chris Hamilton, reporter for the Maui News, for more than 125 years, the sugar and pineapple plantations have been “using a series of ditches and diversions to irrigate [Their] fields.
In order to truly understand why this is a big deal on Maui, it must be understood that Hawaiian Commercial and Sugar Co. (HC&S), formerly Alexander & Baldwin, do not own the water that has been diverted. All water in Hawai`i is held in a public trust. HC&S has no claim on fresh water any more than I do. In fact, “Testifiers again and again also said that it is not HC&S' water. It is the Native Hawaiian people's water, they said, and the company should be required to prove that it deserves the water.”
Hundreds of HC&S employees, dressed in red t-shirts greeted me when I arrived at the Haiku Community Center, where the testimony by the community took place. In my opinion, the employees served two functions. One was to show support for their bosses and secondly, to intimidate would-be testifiers. If the amount of water is restricted, the sugar plantations have threatened massive lay-offs. In fact, HC&S officials “reminded commissioners and the public about the 800 jobs and reliable electric energy that they provide to the community.” Although this may be true, it can also be seen as a veiled threat: “If you don’t give us what we want, we will shut down our operation, laying off workers and eliminating the bagasse, the fiber residue of the cane plant, which is used to generate electricity on Maui (HC&S).” In other words, if you don’t give me what we want, we’re gonna take our ball and go home.” However, the community isn’t buying this threat any longer and hundreds testified, demanding that the water is restored to the streams.
I shouldn’t have been surprised by Alexander and Baldwin’s Nelson Chun, senior vice president of A&B, who said “HC&S does not take a position that it had a right to all the water…” but I was. From what I understand, HC&S has done nothing but take the position that they feel they have a right to all the water, otherwise there wouldn’t be miles of diverted water ditches crisscrossing the island. What other way should we look at it?
It remains to be seen whether or not the water will be restored to the streams. There has been a long history of lies and unfulfilled promises to the community in regards to water. Also, it will be interesting to find out whether or not the amount of water released to the streams will be enough to reach the loi’s (Traditional taro farms) at the end of the stream. The loi’s need cool water to flow through the fields. Presently, when a small trickle of water finds its way to the end of the stream, the water is too warm.
Fresh water is one of the most important resources on any island throughout the world. An island without fresh water is an island that cannot sustain life. The ocean surrounding the island also needs to have fresh water in order for the fish and reefs to survive. Today’s ruling is very important. I would hate to say that this is a “good start.” I’m afraid that a “good start” would also mean the end of the discussion. If this happens, and we find out that the water released to the streams is not enough, we could find ourselves at the beginning, again.
MAUI NEWS
MORE VIDEOS ON WATER IN HAWAI`I
HC&S
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