“If the highest aim of a captain were to preserve his ship, he would keep it in port forever.” --- St. Thomas Aquinas “A leader is one who knows the way, goes the way, and shows the way.” --- John C. Maxwell “If a window of opportunity appears, don't pull down the shade.” --- Tom Peters

1. MAUI
Sustainable Diversified Agriculture
Economic Value of Water
Collaboration of All Stakeholders
The business decision by Alexander & Baldwin to end sugar cultivation and
its plan to transition to diversified agriculture has polarized the community.
Material, relevant and of immediacy is HB2501 HD2 SD2 CD1 RELATING TO
WATER RIGHTS.
Cogent arguments for and against this legislation have been raised.
I have opposed granting Alexander & Baldwin holdover extensions pending
disposition of its water right permits. The deadline for decision is July 12, 2016.
Governor David Y. Ige is to decide whether to sign into law, veto or allow passage
into law without signature HB2501 HD2 SD2 CD1.
Instructive is an excerpt from a comprehensive report prepared by the
University of Texas for the Ulupono Initiative,
[T]here is a significant opportunity to meet multiple
sustainability goals using the same or a lesser quantity of
water for large-scale farming of biofuel crops in Central Maui.
These multiple goals include more local food, increased
renewable energy, and sustainable groundwater usage. Maui
can create triple the economic value is gets from each gallon
of water used in agriculture, while consuming one third less
water than Central Maui uses today.
A Call to Action
The study points to some immediate actions that would help
all the stakeholders in Maui make more informed decisions
regarding their water use, and potentially avoid future
conflicts over water. The critical needs for scientific and
commercial research are:
• Watershed management and restoration to understand costs
and hydrological impact

2. • Aquifer characterization, particularly for the major aquifers
affected by ground water pumping and possible
• Pre-commercial bioenergy crop trials on cassava at the scale
needed to affirmatively determine yield and harvest
requirements
• Integration analysis of use of curtailed wind energy for water
pumping in agriculture and municipal systems
Finally, acting on systems recommendations takes
cooperation across all stakeholders. This study could not
have been accomplished without building on the decades of
work done by others, and the cooperation and support of
many of today’s stakeholders from the business, academic,
government and non-profit communities. The success of
the next round of scientific and commercial research will
be directly proportional to the degree of collaboration
among the parties.
[Emphasis Supplied]
Source: King, Cary W. “A Systems Approach for
Investigating Water, Energy, and Food Scenarios in East-
Central Maui.” The University of Texas at Austin Energy
Institute & Center for International Energy and Environmental
Policy, Jackson School of Geosciences, November 2013.
Report to The Ulupono Initiative.
http://ulupono.com/media/W1siZiIsIjIwMTQvMTEvMTgvMj
NfMjhfNDJfOTQxX0FfU3lzdGVtc19BcHByb2FjaF9mb3JfS
W52ZXN0aWdhdGluZ19XYXRlci5wZGYiXV0/A%20Syste
ms%20Approach%20for%20Investigating%20Water.pdf?sha=
eea0a5f3
The communities, stakeholders, the State of Hawaii, the County of Maui and
the Hawaii Congressional delegation have come together and continue to find
alternatives to bridge the void left by the end of sugar.

3. A most recent example of action and the commitment to provide “frequent,
reliable, affordable and universal service” for interisland shipments by Young
Brothers, LTD. is but one signal and indictor of positive change,
Farming isn’t the answer to Maui’s sugar problem, economist says
Oahu stands apart where farming has worked. However, the
island has specific dynamics that lead to this success, which
the other islands, including Maui cannot replicate. Oahu has a
consumer market large enough to support the farming
industry; a global market for intellectual property, like corn
seed; and corporate sponsors which will invest in developing
new exportable. Neighbor Island producers can only scale up
if they serve the Oahu market or export overseas. However,
even if they do find an Oahu market, the interisland transport
is burdensome and is generally not worth it.
[Emphasis Supplied]
--- Paul Brewbaker, economist at TZ economics.
Source: Gallagher, Kathleen. Pacific Business News, January 13, 2016.
http://www.bizjournals.com/pacific/blog/2016/01/farming-isn-t-the-answer-to-
maui-s-sugar-problem.html
Young Brothers invests $80M in new tug boats
Honolulu-based Young Brothers Ltd. says it has invested $80
million in new tug boats as it seeks to improve its reliability,
efficiency and on-time service.

4. “Our investment in these new tugs will directly support and
further our commitment to frequent, reliable, affordable and
universal service for decades into the future,” said Glenn
Hong, president of Young Brothers.
[Emphasis Supplied]
Source: Gallagher, Kathleen. Pacific Business News, June 27, 2016.
http://www.bizjournals.com/pacific/news/2016/06/27/young-brothers-invests-80m-
in-new-tug-boats.html
Decision architecture:
 Value-at-stake
 Degree of management attention required
Source: Blenko, Marcia W., Michael C. Mankins, and Paul Rogers. "The Five
Steps to Better Decisions." INSIGHTS -- Bain & Company (2013). Web:
http://www.bain.com/publications/articles/the-five-steps-to-better-decisions.aspx
Web access: 27 June 2016
At stake is the very core and fabric of Maui’s economy and sustainability.
Attention has and continues at all levels of government, community and
business organizations and the communities across the State of Hawaii.
The technicalities and legalities of HB2501 HD2 SD2 CD1 can be debated
and analyzed until the moment for decision and action has long passed.
“Mixed agendas, if such as here, are given repeated bites at the apple, there will be
no apple to share. If delayed beyond reason, the limit is heretofore stretched; the
apple will rot on the ground.” Statement to the Ninth Circuit of Appeals, CMH.

5. Cogent, compelling, material and relevant is a statement from Meg
Whitman, President and Chief Executive Officer, Hewlett Packard Enterprise,
Chairwoman, HP Inc. during her tenure as CEO of eBay,
“[T]here’s only so much analysis you can do. It’s better to put
something out there and see the reaction and fix it on the fly.
You could spend six months getting it perfect in the lab…[but]
we’re better off spending six days putting it out there, getting
feedback, and then evolving it.”
A Call to Action
Let us build on the decades of work done and contributions made
by Alexander & Baldwin, Hawaiian Commercial & Sugar Company and
East Maui Irrigation, the cooperation and support of many stakeholders
from business, academia, government and our communities.
The successful transition from sugar, Maui’s sustainability and
economic fabric is directly proportional to the degree of collaboration
we allow to take place. Let the process started in earnest continue!
The time is now!
Governor Ige sign HB2501 HD2 SD2 CD1 into Law
Aloha …