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Of course, the parking fiasco isn't the only problem threatening our harbors. The DLNR has recently proposed legislation that would allow for private management of the Ala Wai and Keehi state harbors. Apparently, the DLNR gutted a seemingly innocuous bill HB1766 that had been on the table for some time and replaced the contents at the last minute with something far more odious. Their 'revision' also broke the long-standing rule that prevents commercial boats from mooring in the Ala Wai and Keehi state harbors. The bill passed on the first reading with amendments. The legislation isn't law yet, but it looks like the DLNR will get most, if not all of what they are demanding.

However, to hedge their bets at passing their initiatives this session, the DLNR has not one, not two, but five bills currently on the floor that basically all say the same thing--private management of harbors and commercial mooring. They are: HB1766, HB980, SB765, HB1131, SB949. Admittedly there are two pairs of companion bills in the house and senate, and the second pair is probably a revision of the first. But hey, I'm not taking my chances!

One such bill comes under the guise of the "Recreational Renaissance Plan." There, that's such an innocuous sounding bill, now who would oppose such a friendly bill. Maybe if they call it the 'fluffy bunny and puppy bill' then the ignorant masses will not oppose it. The bill notes that since the state has made a pig's breakfast of managing the harbors and other natural resources, that they have literally screwed up so badly and not maintained them in decades that they want the public to bail them out by paying through the nose to a private company to manage said resources. Basically the state is tired of pretending to care while siphoning off millions of dollars each year and want some private company to take over so that they can siphon off even more money. Anyone with a passing familiarity with the corruption issues in DLNR knows that they can't be trusted with money. There is a significant need for transparency and actual oversight.

Perhaps it is all part of that plan that the 'Recreational Renaissance' bill that contains so many objectionable clauses also includes a provision for increased transparency for the DLNR. If the people vote against the bill, then they are viewed as opposing transparency. Of course, the transparency clause would be pretty much moot. While at the same time it calls for transparency, it also calls for private management. All the transparency clause would get you is to see the checks going between the private company managing the marina and the DLNR. Remember, a corporation doesn't have to be transparent and only is responsible to their shareholders.

Imagine a harbor under private management. If you want a preview of what's in store, go check out Keehi Marine Center, one of the more odious private marinas. Years back the state allowed private companies to manage that part of the harbor. What's that you say? You can't check out the facilities because there's a 7 foot tall metal fence around the lot with security and three surveillance cameras watching your every move? You might recall that an earlier plan for the parking management of the Ala Wai small boat harbor included a fenced parking lot and no free spaces. If you've forgotten, don't assume that the state has. If they wanted it one time, they still want it.

At KMC, beyond the fence may lay a wonderland of gleaming nautical facilities, but you'll never see them. Actually, I used to have my boat over in KMC. The facilities aren't that great considering the higher cost. The septic system is overloaded so they shut down the laundry facilities. There's loose wires hanging from the wall in the restroom. The security guards smoke on the lanai leaning next to the 'No Smoking' sign. And the water was shut off about a dozen times in the two month period I was there. You'd think you'd find only fine, expensive boats in a private marina. But no, this isn't the Waikiki Yacht Club, its just another way of gouging customers for substandard services. There are plenty of derelict boats moored in KMC, some of which I consider a safety hazard. Plus, the place has the feel of a Nazi war camp with security patrolling like they own the place. Considering the massive demand for permanent slips in Hawaii, its surprising to find that there's plenty of vacant slips there also, much more than needed to do their maintenance. Heck, in the past six months since I moved out my old slip is still vacant. With a wait list about 5 years back for the state harbors, why are there so many vacant slips around?

Well, for the state harbors, they'll rattle off some excuses for having over a hundred vacant slips, but its basically a mismanagement of resources. For the private marinas though, they're even less obligated to offer out slips. First of all, the price scares away some people from even applying. Private marinas are more expensive. Period. Secondly, unlike applicants to the state harbors, applicants to the private harbors are not all treated equally. If you're in distress, the state harbor is obligated to allow you to moor your boat. No such provision exists for private marinas. If your marina has socially conservative management, they could turn down your application and give you no reason. Sure, they might not be willing to admit their reasons, but a company's records might show that people of a certain type are not welcome. We had our boat kicked out of the private marina Keehi Marine Center. Under their rental contract, they claimed that they did not have to give any reason for terminating our tenancy. Your presence is at the whim of management. This is the fate that people living under the regime of a private marina face. While in state harbors you are legally allowed to view and copy the wait list for a permanent slip, no such provisions exist for private marinas. There is no de jure obligation of a private marina to expose its inner workings like there is in government. The freedom of information act does not extend to private companies.

Furthermore, I'm told by a reputable source that the parent company of Diamond Parking also manages harbors on the mainland. If that is true, then it appears that the private parking contract may just have been their way of getting their foot in the door. What with the way that state contracts are issued, you can be sure that if they bid, they'll receive preferential treatment.

Now, admittedly, the state harbors are in bad shape. Hundreds of slips have been condemned over the years. While recently some slips are being rebuilt, the wait has been decades long. Most of the condemned slips have been left to slowly sink into the sea. Go take a look at Keehi Lagoon at the remains of hundreds of docks. Go look at the Ala Wai harbor where slips that would normally reap thousands of dollars more each year in revenue are left empty or rented out at a lower cost to transient boaters. When the Transpac Race comes to Honolulu every two years, the boat owners are shocked to find the state of our harbors compared to the mainland. They're forced, like myself, to perform astounding feats of gymnastics just to get on and off their boats.

The solution is not to let the state absolve themselves of their responsibility to serve the public by allowing private companies to take over management. The solution is to force the state to properly manage our resources themselves. However, if they want the support they'll need for fee increases for boaters and such, they'll need to give us something first. No, I don't want a kickback, I want transparency in our government and competent oversight. They need to show us that they will properly use the funds we give them before we allow them to take more money. Put the framework in place to force transparency, oversight, and enforcement of oversight committee's decisions. What? Actually hold people accountable for making unethical, bad decisions that squander our money? The hell you say! That's unamerican! Since when did being american become ceding control of our rights to private corporations. After the bumbling mismanagement of our harbors, some may be so desparate for change that they embrace this 'Renaissance' plan without reservation. That is a mistake. Yes, the bill contains many provisions for construction and maintenance projects that are direly needed. However, are they worth losing control of our harbors to some private corporation that doesn't care about the local people? I say keep the construction plans, but stay away from private management.

On another note, remember that video of George W. Bush flipping off the cameraman? Whether you think Bush was a savior or antichrist is irrelevant. Where do you think corrupt politicians come from? Do they go to evil grade schools, then evil finishing schools, and finally into evil college? No, they're normal people who are just a tad more adept at taking advantage of a broken system. If their parents already know the tricks, that makes it all the more easier. Corruption in the white house begins with corruption at the grassroots. Few people really get involved in their local elections. Local legislation gets passed everyday and no one bats an eyelash. Hell, France has a more active population. They're always marching in the streets for the slightest encumbrance on their civil liberties. Americans are sheep compared to them in that respect. So when the president flips off the nation, he's been flipping off people at all of the levels of government he's been through. Following the natural progression to president, a person may have flipped off the their school board, the city, the state, and finally the nation.

Corruption percolates upward. So when you don't fight corruption locally, you allow it go go unchecked to the next level up. Corruption can come in many forms--unethical legislation, politicians squandering money, or even a mismanaged boat harbor. But remember,