DRUG COORDINATOR

Roy Nishida, a veteran administrator of a number of organizations on Kaua'i
as well as former Gov. Ben Cayetano's liaison for the Island, is Mayor Bryan
Baptiste's choice to head up the administration's war on drugs.

Nishida is well respected in the community, and has a track record of
success behind him, and we wish him well in taking up this position.

The results of the drug task force will be obvious: If drug-related crimes
go down, if the number of ice-addicted criminals entering our prisons goes
down, if the use of drugs in our schools go down, then the program will have
proved itself successful.

Assistance from the federal government is needed in winning this local war.
Advice and help from Federal Prosecutor Ed Kubo is needed from the outset.
Kubo's implementation of the federal Weed and Seed program has brought
change to formally drug plagued communities in Honolulu. The program first
identifies towns with illicit drug use and dealing problems, then attacks
the problems with federal law enforcement support for local police
departments. Once the cancer-like problem is cut out, the healing begins
with federal funds for community redevelopment.

While relying on federal funds to heal local problems isn't always the
answer, in this case it is necessary and essential.