An Urgent Care Facility for Pahoa:

Unless we haven’t stuck our heads out of the jungle for a long time, we are all painfully (pun intended) aware of the crises in medical services on our island and especially in Puna. There is a group that does not want to wait for State government to do something – they want it yesterday. The group is the Puna Community Medical Center (PCMC) and an urgent care facility is just the first step in their very ambitious long range plans, the end result of which will be a full service comprehensive medical center. An invitation from the Maku‘u Hawaiian Homes Board to build the medical center on Hawaiian Homes lands was recently nixed by DHHL, but the urgent care clinic will open at the P?hoa Marketplace. The building permit has already been pulled. PCMC has applied for its non profit status with the IRS, but this takes time. Until that comes through, Malama O Puna is umbrella-ing them so that they can apply for grants to get the ball rolling.

They are planning other fundraising activities besides grants. One is a combined recycling of plastic containers (#1 and 2) and aluminum cans with a rummage sale. Date and time for this event will be posted on flyers, so keep your eyes open for them, save your cans and bottles to donate, and clear out your good but unused stuff for the rummage sale.

Also, Sally Miller and Ronette Gonsalves have volunteered to organize another Women’s Comedy Night funraiser at the Akebono Theater, and this will probably be late Spring or early Summer. We’ll keep you posted. Remember – laughter is preventive medicine. To donate to the clinic, send your checks to PCMC, 13-1264 Malama St., P?hoa. To volunteer, call 965-2000.

Genetic Modification: Our Position

There are several bills in the legislature this year regarding genetic modification of crops grown here in Hawai'i. Senate Bill 958 and House Draft 1 are calling for a ten year moratorium on GMO taro. There is also another bill tied up in committee regarding Kona coffee. The Malama O Puna Board has taken a policy decision on this matter and submitted testimony to the legislature. We oppose genetic modification of crops, and especially open field testing and the industry’s refusal to label.

Genetic modification is being promoted as the ONLY was to protect taro and other crops from pests and diseases, but nothing could be further from the truth. Selective breeding is a tool used successfully for thousands of years because it works. Increasing agricultural inspections at all points of entry could prevent invasive and potentially destructive organisms from gaining a foothold here. Avoidance of agribusiness type of monocropping, in itself unnatural, would also reduce the chances for crops to become infected. And healthy cultural practices with inputs of natural fertilizers will yield healthy plants with increased resistance while building soil quality.

With all these time tested tools, there is no need whatsoever to take the risks imposed by genetic modification. And risks there are: there is already a hefty track record of good intentions and mitigation plans gone wrong – both in Hawai'i and elsewhere. In some cases the cause was due to a crucial element being overlooked in drawing up the mitigation plan. In other cases it was human error. Murphy’s Law – if something can go wrong, it will.

Supporters of genetic modification tell us that their tests show no dangers to public health from consuming GMO foods. If their product is so great, why the tremendous resistance to labeling? Could it be that they have not done the right tests, or not run tests with a large enough sampling or for a long enough time? Or is it really because GMOs can replace open pollinated crops through contamination and ultimately they will control the food supply for the entire world? Paranoia or power tripping? You decide. And while you’re at it, decide if you want to take that chance.

By the way, foods that are labeled “100% organic” or “Kosher” are GMO-free.
With anything else, unless it comes from your own garden, it’s a gamble.