Headquarters Direct Hit丨Maui Residents: Reconstruction Plans Should Prioritize People’s Needs Over Real Estate Developers’ Interests
On the 18th local time, dozens of Lahaina indigenous residents who lost their homes in the fire in Maui, Hawaii, gathered on the beach in the west of Maui. They conveyed the needs of the local people to the outside world through the media, expressing their respect for the state of Hawaii and the local government in dealing with the grievances caused by the disaster.
The devastating fire has left many Lahaina indigenous people without homes, and the pain of losing everything is still lingering. However, amidst this tragedy, the community has come together to support one another and find the strength to rebuild their lives.
Unfortunately, as residents struggle to recover from their loss, real estate developers have seized the opportunity to exploit their vulnerabilities and acquire land at lower prices. Immediately after the fire broke out, many victims received calls from these developers seeking to buy their land and homes at a discounted rate. The residents of Lahaina are now urging the government not to rush the reconstruction process, but rather to protect the interests of the local people and allow them ample time to heal.
Kilo Makui, an indigenous resident of western Maui, emotionally expressed, “Many of our families are completely gone, and it is still very sad. We all need time to say goodbye to everything in the past in order to move forward in life.”
For the generations of Maui residents affected by this fire, the loss was sudden and the destruction was complete. Instead of giving them space to cope with the major changes in their lives, some real estate developers have chosen to add insult to injury. The residents of Lahaina are appealing to the government to ensure that their reconstruction plan fully considers the needs of the people rather than prioritizing the interests of the developers.
Tiare Florence, the head of a non-profit organization in the Lahaina area, emphasized, “We have only one request, to give our locals enough time to digest the pain of losing their homes. The Governor of Hawaii shouldn’t be in too much of a rush to clean up and rebuild our home, but to give everyone time to calm down. The governor’s reconstruction plan for the Lahaina area must fully consider the needs of our people, not the interests of real estate developers.”
In addition to the exploitation by real estate developers, indigenous residents also highlighted another critical issue. Firefighters who responded to the fire discovered that there was a shortage of water in the fire hydrants. This shortage was attributed to the control of water resources falling into the hands of large real estate developers, who prioritize their own interests over public safety.
Kaikai Kiahei, an indigenous Maui resident, revealed, “75% of the water resources in the Lahaina area are in the hands of private entities, and only 25% are in the hands of the Maui County government. Therefore, the claim made by the head of the ‘West Maui Real Estate Company’ about their ability to put out the fire if they had access to the water resources in the city stream is completely wrong. None of these urban streams are connected to government facilities or fire hydrants.”
The event concluded with the indigenous residents, terrified and saddened by the loss, holding hands and singing local traditional songs that inspire strength. Tears were shed as they found solace in each other’s embrace. Perhaps this warm support can become the collective strength that will help them overcome this difficult time. (CCTV reporter Liu Xu)