With the bankruptcy of Hawaii Superferry comes the end of dissembling PR. In a complete change of heart, the Maui News recognized Gov. Linda Lingle’s role in the demise of the operation:
“Frankly, we are tired of politicians who will not admit they made a mistake. Fess up, governor, your administration blew it. The Superferry may not have made it even with an EIS, but without one, it was doomed. And your administration is the one that let it sail without one.
So governor, the next time you are looking for someone to blame for the failure of the ferry, try looking in the mirror. Without that personal admission, everything else is just sour grapes.”
Read more at the Maui News.
Meanwhile Superferry manufacturer, Austal, admitted their investment was made in order to obtain the Joint Highspeed Vessel Military contract – which they did. According to Austal CEO Bob Brownin:
Sure, yeah the Hawaii Super Ferry contract really was quite unusual. We were actually helping that company get started and put $30 million of mezzanine debt into the business which then allowed us to contract to build two large catamaran ferries for them. And strategically was important because it allowed us to build our workforce up in Mobile, Alabama which then allowed us to win the Joint High Speed Vessel program which is a very close derivative to that whole forum. So while it was unfortunate that Hawaii Super Ferry filed for Chapter 11, it was an unusual thing that we normally wouldn’t do, but it did position us for a much more lucrative contract with the Navy…Bob Browning: It really was a conscious decision…
View video of the interview here
Regarding Lingle's recent Maui News Viewpoint calling the Maui News a liar:
Linda Lingle is such a shameless liar. She claims that YB and Matson have never done an EIS.
They do an EIS every 5 years. They do an EIS for EVERY SINGLE HARBOR IMPROVEMENT.
That woman did favors for her GOP friends and cost us $40,000,000 on Chinese made barges THAT DON'T WORK because she didn't listen to the Harbor Pilots when they said you can't put a barge at the end of Pier 2.
Lingle – give it up. You are just making yourself look worse because you can't admit your mistake and instead keep piling on lie after lie.
In her rebuttal to the Maui News editorial, the Governor neglects to point out:
- that several environmental studies WERE done for harbor facilities
- that a previous (1989) proposed ferry on Oahu had to do a major EIS
- that the other transport systems which she mentions were started before the environmental laws were established
- that the Supreme Court, the State's Environmental Council, and the State Auditor said her administrator's decisions were wrong.
From Maui Time Weekly, Jacob Shaffer wrote:
HYPER LOCAL
Gov. Lingle touched down on the Valley Isle this week to address the Maui Native Hawaiian Chamber of Commerce at the Grand Wailea. Her remarks were broad in scope if not vision, and contained a lot of defensive, revisionist rhetoric, typical of a lame duck with an eye on her legacy. Take, for example, this gem: "I think there are few episodes that have been as pathetic in the lack of political leadership as there were in that Superferry situation." She then went on to point the finger at everyone but herself and to hint at a vague, omnipresent "they" who were responsible for the vessel's demise, but I'm just going to let that first statement stand alone. And I'm going to agree with it completely.
See http://www.mauitime.com/Articles-i-2009-09-10-70807.113117_Coconut_Wireless.html
The Governor admits that the Hawai'i Supreme Court found an EIS was required for Superferry and fails to offer any explanation as to why she put the boat into operation after that opinion.
Having essentially engaged in a conspiracy to violate the law by defying the Supreme Court opinion, she seeks to impugn the integrity of the Court to distract from her own illegal behavior. Her lawless behavior led directly to the very dangerous confrontations that took place in Nawiliwili Harbor on Kaua'i.
It's no surprise to hear a politician lie and dissemble, and Lingle has always been willing to tell a lie, but she may have set a new standard for political bullshit with this response. Her ego must have been hurt badly for her to bother commenting at all. And using Joe Souki as a model for proper political behavior is both hilarious and pathetic…
But at least this should close the book on the whole ugly Superferry affair…
Linda Lingle has an oddly naive approach. I think that she and Sarah Palin should set up as a comedy act.
Queen Lingle takes credit for "enact-"ing the Superferry. Maybe she can be impeached now.