Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 8, Number 12, 1 December 1991 — is disappearing on Lanaʻi [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

is disappearing on Lanaʻi

on Lana'i happy? "Some say no but the majority are silent. Only they themselves ean answer that." Despite the relatively small population on Lana'i, Hao believes that iand should be available for Native Hawaiians on the island. Currently, there are no Hawaiian Home Lands on Lana'i and Hao supports OHA negotiating with the state and the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands to set aside land. While one-industry towns from steel to timber have hardly been a rarity in the U.S., Lana'i as an island has existed in even more seclusion than other "company towns." That same isolation ean I' ave residents with fewer, often more expensive choices. "Even in the old mill towns you could drive somewhere else. You had more mobility," says State Rep. Roslyn Baker, who represents the island's population of between 2,200 and 2,400 and of mostly Filipino, Japanese, other Asian and Hawaiian backgrounds. For example, the island's only doctor is leaving Lana'i, althouqh the state has promised to brinq in

a replacement, she says. Baker is also concerned about housing on the island, a situation she terms "critical" with two and three generations living together. "Because it is small, it is important that everyone pulls together because you don't have a lot of options," Baker says praising the work of Lanaians for Sensible Growth. As for the future of tourism on Lana'i and how well it fares, the issue is a two-edged sword for the Pacific island. The livelihood of Lanai's residents, whether they work for Dole Food Co. or in one of the few small businesses,depends on the hotels.

But who draws the line at too mueh good business? "On the one hand, it is important that the resort industry succeeds but, at the same time, it is important you don't lose the special things about Lana'i," says Baker. . But some residents believe that a line ean be drawn — even at the expense of their own profit margin. Kathy Oshiro is the island's only realtor. She and her husband, Glenn, own a service station and one of two car rental firms on Lana'i. Oshiro advocates establishing a limit on the number of cars that ean be rented at one time on the island. "Why live here if it is another downtown Waikiki?" she asks. Among the fears Lanaians are grappling with are a rising cost of living and shipping, high rents, and scarcity of water. "1 think the major concerns are the good possibility of us totally losing the lifestyle we cherish," Oshiro says.

Originally from Southern California, Oshirohas lived on Lana'i for a decade . A eouple of years ago, the eouple made a "joint decision to be vocal," she remembers. "I still recognize people have a lot to lose if they express their opinions. And I respect that fear," Oshiro says. "But we're at the point we ean lose mueh more by not saying anything." Yet in a time where the world spins at a dizzying paee is it possible for Lana'i to remain untouched? A plaee where the whistle blows at 5 a.m. calling workers to the field, a siren shepherds children back to their homes at 8 p.m. curfew and where, until the past year, residents could run a tab at the grocery store paying at the end of the month. "I think changes, unfortunately, are necessary. You can't be part of the old world forever," says Oshiro. "What I think is important is that we sift through the changes and be very careful and try to maintain the stability."

Rep. Roslyn Baker

Goro Hokama

/V.

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