Pubdate: Fri, 8 Aug 2003 Source: West Hawaii Today (HI) Contact: 2003 West Hawaii Today Website: http://westhawaiitoday.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/644 Author: Melissa L. Moniz Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/meth.htm (Methamphetamine) Note: To read about the "ice epidemic" in Hawaii, go to http://www.mapinc.org/areas/Hawaii . AIONA DRUG STRATEGY IS QUITE TROUBLING Editor I find Lt. Go. Duke Aiona's "Hawaii Drug Control Strategy: A New Beginning" quite troubling. He was here to take our community input to his "ice" summit? Hello, we on the Big Island had an "ice" summit and we're moving into the second "ice" summit. So, why is he taking us back to square one when we already past go and getting ready to implement? Where was Mayor Kim? Was he even invited? He's the one who spearheaded the first "ice" summit and got Sen. Daniel Inouye involved in the fight. Where was Billy Kenoi? Billy who has worked tirelessly, going from Big Island community to community, educating and motivating the people to get up and fight against this drug that is poisoning our children, destroying families. He has spearheaded several initiatives to get things rolling, getting past the "talk story" stage. Mayor Kim declares "war" on ice. Money coming down the pipe and everyone wants a piece of it. Let's make a "summit" in Honolulu. They usually out-vote the outer islands, they get the monies and we on the outer islands are left with the "ice" problem. Children selling lollipops to support their parents' drug habits? Ten to 12-year-old prostitutes? Children sent to lockups on Oahu for 90 days or more to dry out, they come back to the community, within a month or two, back on ice, sent back to lockup to dry out, again? Limited or no resources on this island to deal with the problem? Are we going to help our children or are we just going to end up with political debates? Why aren't we working as one, instead of splintering into factions? Bottom line, who is going to lose? Everyone. Melissa L. Moniz Hilo - --- MAP posted-by: Doc-Hawk