LT. GOVERNOR AIONA ACKNOWLEDGES THAT DRUG FIGHT IS A BIG ONE

The first round of Mayor Bryan Baptiste's drug summit meetings ended in
Waimea Saturday with a speech from Lieutenant Governor James "Duke" Aiona.

Aiona, a former family and circuit court judge assigned to the "career
criminal" and "sex offender" units and a drug court judge, acknowledged that
a majority of criminal cases are drug-related and there's a lot of work to
be done. He said he hopes that people can start focusing more on what can
actually be done, using buzzwords like "community development" and
"coordination."

Aiona said he is helping draft a strategic plan aligned in many ways with
President George W. Bush's National Drug Control Policy.

With talks in legislature regarding "three strikes" laws, mandatory minimum
sentencing and construction of more prison facilities, Aiona said after 12
years of experience as a judge he knows the potential aftereffects.

"With mandatory sentencing, it's locking them up with a specific period of
time. What you're saying is we give up on this person, lock them away,"
Aiona said, acknowledging that in some cases, long prison terms might be
necessary. "If we tie the hands of the judiciary, then we lose a lot more,
as a community," he continued.

Collaboration between professionals, police department, public defenders,
care providers and community organizations is important and needed to
organize a drug court, which assists non-violent drug offenders in getting
treatment and counseling instead of imprisonment.

"What's really disheartening is that we are really getting people at the
tail end. If we gotta treat someone that means that person went through
substance and alcohol abuse," Aiona said that he's seen people in their 60s
come through drug court. Kaua'i's drug court is still being set up, and
would offer alternatives to imprisonment for first-time, non-violent drug
offenders.

Aiona concluded with speaking about a strategic drug control plan that
focuses heavily on prevention and education, resulting in "distorting the
distribution of drugs."

Preventive tools could include drug testing in public schools, which are
already being conducted across the country - the idea drew considerable
applause from the audience. "Legislators didn't even want to give it the
time of day," he said of the proposal. Test results would be confidential,
would not result in punishment and would shift the burden of responsibility
back to parents, who could decide what to do - options could include
counseling, he said. Such testing in private schools like Mid-Pacific
Institute may soon be implemented.

Aiona stressed that Kaua'i communities "find alternatives to our traditional
means of thinking … basketball, soccer - that's great, but there's a group
of kids who are interested in culture and the arts, the ocean," he offered.
He also reminded the meeting-goers that many activities can be organized
that don't cost money.

Also speaking was Hawai'i Regional Poison Control Center medical director
Dr. Alvin C. Bronstein, from the Rocky Mountain Poison and Drug Center.
Bronstein spoke about clandestine methamphetamine labs in Hawai'i. Read The
Garden Island for a report on poisonings from drugs and drug labs in
Hawai'i.

Sidebar:

Ideas For Anti-Drug Activities From West Kaua'I:

* large groups of churchgoers and community members could circle in front of
known drug dealers' houses; the non-confrontational approach would hopefully
dissuade them from drug activity

* Join the West Kaua'i Community Coalition, which already organizes
community projects and groups

* Holding classes for parents to learn about drugs, parenting skills and
other issues

* Mentoring programs for youth

* Mentoring programs for parents, victims of drug-related crimes and drug
users

* Organizing a "citizens' patrol" group that could be called "Kauaians
Against Drug Abuse"

* Giving more support to the KPD - and accepting that the community cannot
know all of their enforcement tactics