Stacy Helm Crivello. Photo by Wendy Osher.

[flashvideo file=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ho_Nezh3usQ /] Interview and transcription by Wendy Osher

INTRO: Tell us about yourself and your campaign.

Aloha. My name is Stacy Helm Crivello and I am running for Maui County Council, Molokai district. I am seeking your kokua to vote for me on November 6th. Maui County is unique. Each of the islands have unique concerns and issues, and we need to address them as community builders. I am a person who is immersed in community service and involvement. Through involvement in community on Molokai, we have been able to come up with a dialysis facility; we’ve established a Molokai Land Trust, a slaughter house.  Community is very essential and important on Molokai, and I wish to take this with me as your next representative on the County Council for the Molokai District.  I humbly ask for your vote on November 6th.

Question 1: What are your thoughts on the Safari Cruise visits to the island. Would you support similar ventures that involve the transport of passengers via vessel to the island?

The Safari vessel issue that happened last December on Molokai became a controversy because somehow or other, it appeared as though we lacked some community process.  I think with community process, we would be able to have some collaboration to allow 35 passengers to come to our island and visit.  We are the host, and what comes out of this is–from when they came in December, January, and up until February, through May–our farmers were able to sell their products or produce, our only slaughterhouse was able to sell their prime meats. So this sort of enhances and allows our businesses to receive new dollars to flow into our community.  I believe with proper collaboration, we will be able to accept and allow the visitors to take a spin around our island.  With some sort of tourism on the island–we are a friendly isle.  We’re not as how the media perceives us to be when we are not in full support.  What has come out of this is some division within the island, and I think with leadership, we can bring people together on the table and do some determination as to what we can do to make things a little better for Molokai.

Question 2: What makes Molokai such a special place and what will you do as a council member to ensure protection and preservation of the island lifestyle?

I’m keiki o ka aina o Molokai.  What makes my island home special are the people–people are born and raised on our island.  We carry the values of our kupuna and that is caring and sharing.  This is what I’d like to see protected and bring back to our island.  Our natural resources are taken care of by the people of Molokai because they appreciate what has been passed down from our kupuna.  We use our natural resources for sustenance and we can continue to do this.  As to what people like myself and other community individuals are involved in–we’ve been able to preserve over 1700 acres at the pristine area of Mokio Point–that alone was through the help of our county council.  So you know we play a role in preserving our open space. Kawaikapu in Kainalu, the East Molokai Watershed–all of these are protected through community involvement.  I feel that with the direction of leadership, we can continue to explore what it is that we want to preserve.  In Mokio Point, we have ancient Hawaiian sites, we have sand dunes for the ecosystem that are being preserved today through the Molokai Land Trust–and that involves community volunteers.  So, our island may not have all of the flowing of trying to inoculate with big development but we are there to develop what we need to share with the rest of the world.

Question 3: Molokai has a history of a very high unemployment rate. What can you do at the council level to support the creation of jobs to foster economic vitality on the neighbor islands?

We all realize that Molokai has high unemployment.  I would think, first of all, government would try our best to retain and support existing businesses so that our employees on Molokai can be assured of employment.  I also feel that economic prosperity is interdependent on the social and cultural aspects of our people.  I also feel that the social and cultural fabric is important to intertwine and weave for sustainability.  We must build on our assets, build on what we have, and that’s our people.  Through community processing, we can determine what sort of strategic plan do we want for Molokai.  I don’t believe that government is the creator of employment. I believe government provides core service where you would need your public servants. I believe government will help businesses to process building permits. It’s challenging for a homeowner or a business person to try and do improvements or build, so we have challenges from Molokai to swim across the channels to get our building permits in place. Thankfully we have staff on Molokai who are part of the county level that are most gracious to help us and lead us to the next step on where we have to go. So economic prosperity on Molokai will have to be compatible with our natural resources. So, how can government help; how can government help to enhance training for our Molokai youth and Molokai people?  We value our natural resources, so maybe that’s something that we can enhance to preserve stronger. And we value our farming and agriculture–so how do we get our products off island so that it’s affordable, so that we can have the dollars coming in to our community?

Closing Thoughts:

Aloha and Mahalo.  My name is Stacy Helm Crivello and I am your candidate for the Maui County Council, Molokai district.  I humbly ask for your vote on November 6th.  You may reference anything about me on www.stacyhelmcrivello.com. Mahalo.