2008-01-31 News

LC Watch

by Anthony Pignataro

write the author

January 31, 2008
The Return of Maui Dance Advocates

Good news for anyone who wants to see the Department of Liquor Control's rules on dancing loosened up a bit: Ramoda Anand, the MCC student whose organization Maui Dance Advocates has been trying to get the LC rules changed, is back.

On Jan. 16, Anand's attorney Lance Collins—a former LC Adjudication Board member—delivered to the LC offices a new petition requesting a dancing rule change.

All this started in early 2007, when Maui Dance Advocates got the Maui County Liquor Commission to hold a hearing on whether to liberalize the rule prohibiting dancing anywhere in a club except on a specially marked dance floor. But at its April 11, 2007 hearing, the commission refused to change the rule. Maui Dance Advocates subsequently appealed the decision (at the suggestion of LC Director Franklyn Silva) but got nowhere when Judge Joseph Cardoza threw the case out of court, saying Anand's group had no standing to appeal the decision in the first place.

So basically, Anand and his group are starting over with a new petition.

"This petition complies with the LC rules in every technical aspect," Collins said. "We're very clearly asking for a 'declaratory order'—which is appealable to the circuit court."

Collins said the Liquor Commission will take up the petition at its March 12 hearing. Depending on what happens then, the county's corporation counsel will then prepare a written order. Because it can take months to finish written orders, Maui Dance Advocates has the option of appealing the commission's decision as soon as the minutes of their hearing are finished.

"But we'd prefer to get something in writing because I've worked with the Liquor Department before," Collins said.

-Anthony Pignataro

Email Link

Feedback

LC's Dancing Rules
February 01, 2008 | 02:01 PM

How is it that in the year of 2008, there is a rule that prohibits dancing unless in a designated area! What exactly is the reasoning behind this! Why haven't the hawaiin people, who are associated with dancing as a huge part of their culture and heritage, lining up at the LC meetings and having their voices heard. Dancing is a part of all of our backgrounds from all ethnicities. A form of expression, a form of communication, and a form of entertainment. How is it that in a place that the mentioning of its name conjurs up visions of the hula dancing and its beautiful storytelling of its people, can be illegal unless your "in a designated area". I think somethings out of "whack" , here in this place so many call paradise. It's time for voices to be heard and this ridiculous "law" abolished once and for all. What if someone decides to start speaking of Hawaii not as a place of fun, where a person is free to exercise his or her right to freedom of expression, but the fact that if you are in a place that offers music entertainment and you start to sway or move or dance in an area that the LC has not designated as a "LEGAL" place to dance that you or the owner of that establishment could be legally cited by the liquor control department! I would sign my name to this letter, but I was in the hopes of someday being in the nightclub business here, and the threat of retribution from the LC scares the hell out of me. I urge everyone who is of the same thinking as I am to sign the new petition that is being made by the Maui Dance Advocates and attend the March 12 hearing and let your voice be heard. Let the LC know that they "work for the people", and are "paid by the people".

Mark from Kihei

Reader Feedback Submission

Use this form to submit Reader Feedback.

* required value

Calendar Search

Event

Zip Code Proximity
of

Entertainment and lifestyle news for Maui, Hawaii and the surrounding Islands. Maui Time Weekly is Mauis only independent and locally owned newspaper. Mail this link to a friend