Team brainstorms; apparent problems overwhelming

The job fair was a bright light for Molokai, and one of the few highlighted at last Monday’s Molokai Action Team meeting.

The group, composed of community and state leaders, brought many of the island’s potential problems before the public forum, including everything from replacement jobs for Molokai Ranch’s displaced workers to interest on small business loans offered by MEO.

MAT chairman and office of planning director Abbey Mayer said that he has spoken to the Ranch about a wide range of topics, including the Ranch’s operation of water utilities on Molokai’s West End (see "Molokai Ranch seeks to unload its water utility") and access rights to Molokai Ranch land for former Molokai Properties Limited employees and for the general public.

He said that the Ranch told him that a hunting concession would continue for the ranch land, in an effort to keep the deer population under control. He said the access would be limited to former Ranch employees and that he did not know if there would be any hunting access for the rest of the population. He could not elaborate on the situation as of Monday, but was instructed by MAT members to continue investigating the situation.

A positive revelation was the fact that according to Mayer, Senate Bill 69 passed during session. If signed by Governor Linda Lingle in the 45 days after closure of the leg May 2, or passed without signature by the legislators, the bill will cause the children of those laid off to be immediately qualified for QUEST health insurance. In light of the layoffs throughout Hawaii, the bill is expected to pass.

Jimmy Duvauchelle, president of the Maunaloa Ohana, and member of the MAT, said that he worries about Maunaloa.

“If the town dies, there is nothing up there for us,” he said. “After the closure of Molokai Ranch, Maunaloa is struggling to survive. Our concern is that the [Molokai General] store is a vital supplier of immediate needs. Without that, we’ve got to come all the way down here. It’s a ghost town come 4 p.m. I appreciate the concern about the employees… but we need to save our community…We need a reason to be up there… We need to bring people there so we can kinda cushion our fall.”
Maunaloa Ohana public relations director Zhantell Dudoit said she has many concerns about the economic future of the island’s special events. “There are [events] canceled due to lack of places to stay here… [the events] represent an immediate, one-time injection [of money] that don’t need a lotta skills, school to do.”

For longer-term development, ideas were presented, and roadblocks addressed. Barbara Haliniak, president of the Molokai Chamber of Commerce and a MAT member said there are many projects in the works to support entrepeneurship on the island. “There will be people out doing face-to-face interviews of [local business owners] to see what they need,” said Haliniak. “Once we get that together, we can know what the nees are for existing businesses and where to get help.”

Teri Waros, a concerned member of the community and former general manager for Molokai Ranch, said one of the obstacles she’s faced as a potential entrepeneur on the island is high interest rates, “MEO interest rates for loans are 13-19 percent. I would like to request that we offer local entrepeneurs long-term low interest rates so that if they’re having difficulty with cash flow now, [there is a solution.] … We need to be able to encourage those with great business ideas.”

Machado suggested OHA loans, which are available for any sum. “If it’s $25,000 or less, you don’t need collateral. There are 400 awards out already and OHA got plenty left.”

Also at hand for discussion was a reputed transportation subsidy. Mayer said that the state Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism is evaluating a travel grant for those forced to seek work off-island. The grant would supply former Molokai Ranch employees with a travel subsidy, fixed at $15 each way, and applicable to either ferry or air travel off-island.

Molokai Ranch officially closed April 5 and will lay off its approximately 120 workers May 22, taking with it more than 60 full-time positions with health care.