Maui Migrants

Maui residents should be apprehensive about the relatively new program of importing migrant workers to their island from San Diego County and elsewhere.

The executive director of the Maui Economic Opportunities Agency states “It’s a win-win situation; Hawaii gets its agricultural workers and they get an opportunity they would not have any place else.” Raphael Martinez of the North County Chaplaincy chimes in, “$8.47 is double what they can make here.”

Is it that cut and dried? This former “kama aina” (Hawaiian resident) doesn’t think so!

This “quick fix” program is susceptible to ramifications that might result in a debacle more serious than the ill-conceived solution the growers handed the Islanders in 1882.

Faced with a destructive rodent problem, the growers impetuously imported mongoose to prey on the rodents. Unfortunately, mongoose are a day feeder and rodents are nocturnal. Consequently, Hawaii now has a rodent problem as well as a mongoose population that is placing island wildlife on the endangered species list.

The growers in their desperation to solve one problem may be introducing an influx of Third World conditions creating a new set of problems for Maui’s economy and social structure.

There is no intention to equate migrant workers to the mongoose. In one instance you have deprived hard-working people and in another a very adaptable foraging animal. Both are guiltless of criticism for doing what they do well.

One needs to examine the projected earnings and evaluate economic implications to recognize possible negative impacts.

BEN SEELEY, Imperial Beach