Source: Maui Time, Maui News, Best of Maui, Maui Activities

Maui%20County
Better Know A Candidate
Lucienne de Naie

by By Diana Rivera-Rodriguez

September 07, 2006





Occupation: Sierra Club Hawai`i Chairperson







Running for: County Council seat representing East Maui







MAUI TIME WEEKLY: Why have you decided to run now after all these years of activism on Maui?







LUCIENNE DE NAIE: I have

been begged for six years now to run for office, and I realized I’m not

getting any younger. Right now, I feel like this is the time in my life

to run because I am getting much support and it takes a team to get

someone elected.





Why should people vote for you?







I have the most actual ground experience of the candidates. I have

met with the mayor on a regular basis to discuss issues, and I meet

with state and even federal officials to discuss problems and come up

with solutions on all levels. I have come up with solutions to problems

such as restoring water to the streams, and these dreams have become

reality, if not close.





What is the biggest problem facing the county?







We have not been planning the future very well for locals. We need

to make sure things like water, housing and beach access is readily

available.





What do you intend to do about this?







Prioritize. Right now, development is being based on what brings in tax revenues. This is hurting the locals.







What are your feelings about the Akaka Bill?







Personally, I have not read the entire bill, so I only have other

people’s perspectives. I believe it was a noble effort for good

Hawaiian programs to continue, but I am not sure this bill was the only

solution. There was not an answer for every question against it. I wish

we could all just come together and care for the Hawaiian land. But

there does need to be a way for native Hawaiians to get their fair

share of land.





How about the Superferry?







We have not been given adequate information about it. I was one of

the first to request an environmental statement. I am not against it,

but it needs close scrutiny because it is such a new technology.

Substance needs to replace the hype.





George W. Bush?







I didn’t vote for him! I hate to criticize, because it isn’t easy being President, but he was and is simply not prepared.







Tourism?







Tourism needs to reevaluate its position in our economy. It’s scary,

but Maui is the most dependent of all the Hawaiian Islands, even more

than Oahu, on tourism. It’s the big chief on the island, but it’s not

healthy. We need to diversify our economy, but to do that we need

better education and housing. We cannot bring technology here without

those.





What is the most difficult thing that has happened to you?







Taking care of my parents during the last several years of their

lives. It was very lonely, and it was tough making the right decisions.







What made you fall in love with Hawai`i?







I first visited here from LA area when I was 22, and I just loved

everything… how the people interacted, the language. It just always

felt like home. I never felt like a tourist. MTW