May 14, 2020
The mayor’s news conference: Confused? So is everybody else. Pine calls for clarity and collaboration
HONOLULU, HAWAI‘I —“After dueling news conferences by the governor and the mayor with orders that change daily, it is time for the mayor to work with the City Council to put together a plan that is easy to follow — and which makes sense,” said Honolulu City Councilmember Kym Pine, chair of the Business, Economic Development and Tourism Committee.
“Many businesses will be closed forever by the end of June. It is time to set a clear plan of testing, tracking and tracing cases, so that we can open safely. Hawai‘i’s economy will never recover if we don’t help busineses soon,” Pine said.
“The state has moved way too slowly on this. Since they can’t do it rapidly, let’s do it ourselves. We don’t need approval from the state to do our own testing, tracking and tracing,” she said. The State Department of Health has announced a lengthy process for training and hiring contact tracers, but at the City Council yesterday, Dr. Scott Miscovich of Premier Medical Group Hawai‘i laid out a faster, quicker plan to put unemployed people to work and train them for tracing efforts.
“My constituents are very confused about why the stay-at-home order would be extended to June 30 when parks and beaches are open, malls will be open — and then restaurants will be open before that date. They are seeking clarity on exactly what is allowed, what isn’t allowed, and why certain things are being allowed,” Pine said.
Councilmember Kym Pine represents residents of District One (ʻEwa, ʻEwa Beach, Kapolei, Honokai Hale, Ko ʻOlina, Nānākuli, Mā‘ili, Wai‘anae, Mākaha, Kea‘au, Mākua) and is chair of the City Council’s Committee on Business Economic Development and Tourism
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Erika Engle
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