Putting the information together was shocking, even for us here.
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235 thoughts on “Closures, Furloughs and Terminations Explode in Hawaii”
Putting the information together was shocking, even for us here.
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So sad! We are cancelling our trip in October to the great state of Hawaii. I feel so sad for the residents. 87 total related COVID deaths to destroy the state. Unacceptable by the Governor and State Officials. I hope the people of Hawaii vote these crazy, dictator, power hungry officials out of office! Playing politics with the great people of Hawaii. I hope they open soon. It has to drive the residents of Hawaii crazy to see people on the mainland able to travel between states and not able to support Hawaii. The amount of people laid off, furloughed, etc., will cause greater damage to the people and the state than COVID ever would.
Our Democratic Politicians here and elsewhere have been criminal done criminal acts to the people of Hawaii! For what? Why? Their own greed….? The downfall is for all… affects all. I guess the fall of cabal evil corruption hits everywhere of course even Paradise ya. Major Shift cleanup is at hand. World wide. Take back your God given birth rights power…no consent to anything of low vibrations Trust Faith in higher power.
A big concern, at least on Kauai, is the lack of in-patient medical resources. Kauai has a total of 197 beds in its three hospitals. That, to service ~67,000 residents, and during normal times, about 100,000 tourists PER MONTH! Imagine if tourism was allowed, and there was a resurgence of the virus. Many would require at least some in-patient care. As Rob and Jeff probably know, Kauai simply does not have that level of necessary support. Gov Ige and Mayor Caldwell I’m sure are taking that into consideration. And to those who want to place blame on someone, blame China’s President Xi.
Thanks Rob and Jeff for the (sad) information.
Hi Rob.
Thanks.
Aloha.
Aloha! Thank you Beat of Hawaii for your objective reporting on the current events in the state of Hawai’i. I do believe Hawai’i will open for the Thanksgiving-Christmas holiday season. This would give the state another eight weeks to attempt to control the spread and enforce all of the social distancing and mask requirements the Mainland has been living with since March.
CostcoTravel just launched a series of promos for each island beginning November 8, 2020. I think this is “the wisdom of the crowd”. I have made a lot of changes this year, but I am keeping my reservation for December 4th – 14th and banking on a resort bubble with the Westin Hapuna or Mauna Kea Beach Hotel (I could bubble at either location, but I might need a shuttle bus to Merriman’s or Holuakoa Cafe. HA!). I hope we can all make it back to the people and islands we love very soon. Aloha!
Hi Cheri.
Thank you.
Aloha.
This is so sad. This is exactly what I have been commenting on here for the past several months. The state depends on tourism for jobs. Whatever underlying issues are at hand, and no matter what direction your thoughts run, this is the outcome. Lost jobs, a lost economy that could have been booming, lives in ruin. Some will most assuredly say that the virus would have been worse, but who is to say? Those that have lost their livelihood might be thinking differently. My thoughts are with the small businesses that are not listed here. I am sure that list is so long it would be next to impossible to do.
Debra – all of the unreported stats are my concern too. See below for info from the Dept of Labor about WARN reporting. So many small businesses, self-employed, part-time employees, etc. are not represented in public info.
My hope for Hawaii (and my own state too!) is that rules are put in place that encourage individual & business responsibility (covid test before tourists arrive, wear masks at all times in public, etc), and punish those that are irresponsible (tourist fines, business fines or forced temporary closures, etc). Open back up, and have a plan to reinforce expectations.
“A WARN notice is required when a business with 100 or more full-time workers (not counting workers who have less than 6 months on the job and workers who work fewer than 20 hours per week) is laying off at least 50 people at a single site of employment (see glossary and FAQs), or employs 100 or more workers who work at least a combined 4,000 hours per week, and is a private for-profit business, private non-profit organization, or quasi-public entity sep- arately organized from regular government.”
So sad that Liberals are willing to destroy the country just to deny Trump a second term.
Which is more frightening going bankrupt and not being able to feed my family or the Covid-19 virus???? When will common sense and reality make regulators wake up and let the virus take its course and let people get on with their lives. Completely wiping out years of hard work with a single pen stroke is completely insane.
Do what South Korea is doing. Get a rapid test when you land in Hawaii. Mandatory 2 week quarantine to observe symptoms.
I Thank You, I have lead depend on these resources for information right now as when I left Hawaii at the end of January for what was supposed to be temporary time in New Jersey has heavily changed I’m desperate to return however trying to stay aware of if I can keep my head afloat financially.
Hi Christy.
Thanks.
Aloha.
Very sad to read the numbers of those that have lost their employment. However, I am not surprised, due to the fact, that Leadership, both Government and Industry, failed to recognize from the onset the consequences of a long-term shutdown. I call it the “Iceberg Syndrome”, 1/8 of the Iceberg is above the waterline which represents COVID-19, the other 7/8s is below the waterline and unseen, but represents the biggest impact, much greater than the virus itself. This 7/8s is loss of jobs, permanent closing of businesses (especially small businesses),increase use of alcohol and drugs, domestic abuse, mental illness, and more. I am so sorry for Hawaii…you’re a beautiful state with beautiful people.
Disclaimer; I’m not a New Yorker, but they know how to run a state. High density population, high traffic, yes, even tourism.
You know what THEIR governor did EVERY day??? He held at least a one hour press conference every day to discuss with the public what the government was doing, how they were doing it, what they needed, and also comforted those in both health and financial despair.
Kudo’s to Lt Gov Josh Green for his daily Facebook short briefings, its something. But he’s doing it because the Gov doesn’t. Frankly, LG Green probably has plenty on his plate already but Ige…what’s he doing??
Sorry Hawaii, but this is messed up and done so by the top person and further messed up by the general resident public that continue to gather and not social distance wearing facemasks.
Thanks
Hi Craiger.
Thanks.
Aloha.
Can’t be too dependant on tourism, if the sugar and pineapple industry that employed thousands of people across the state had remained today, the state might have faired much better than it is right now, I knew something like this would happen after the sugar industry shut down for good during the 90’s
I wonder if governor Ige awaits a COVID-19 vaccine while refusing to adopt alternative measures to reopen Hawaii? Seems narrow-minded, but……
This is my favorite place in the entire world. I have visited one time and that was 17 years ago. I would love to visit again and shows this beautiful place to my new husband. I hate that everyone in this paradise is struggling.
Just wondering what the expectations are on whether this will increase or decrease airline, hotel, and car rentals once it opens again. Can someone comment on these expectations please?
Thank you!
Wendy K.
Hi Wendy.
Thanks.
Aloha.
This is the hardest the economy and Tourism has been hit!
My favorite place in the world and so sad this is happening . I wish we could come help support this wonderful paradise .
Prayers and blessings to all and their families .
And of course there are many small businesses on the islands that have had to call it quits these last months, with more to come.
I’ll say it again . . . the Abbott Rapid Test, used everywhere in Hawaii and preflight, could get this state open safely!!
We still have our reservations for October 15th – being hopeful that things can and will change and allow visitors to the islands without the quarantine. From some comments I have seen, I think many feel this way. I don’t mind the testing – already found a place in AZ that can get us results within the required time frame. Just watching and praying!
A friend and I had a Road Scholar tour scheduled for this October but as all signs point to non-reopening we rescheduled same tour but for next year and I’m glad we did! I had no hope that anything in HI would be open so decided on next year. So sad as I have been planning this trip since my 50th birthday! I’ll be 54 if able to go next year 🙁 Good Luck!
How sad but also embarrassing for Hawaii. Third world countries in the Caribbean are advertising here in CA to pick up the slack of pent up demand. Governor Ige should be ashamed.
Yes…he should be ashamed, but he should be shamed in public as he is impeached. He’s a disgrace, but is only a symbol of the dysfunction and disgrace that is Hawai`i state government.
Yep, you noticed that too? They have many fewer “resources” than we do and are managing just fine. I’m personally skeptical about these wild “positive” numbers, it sounds like either huge data errors (bad testing protocol, bad data protocol,and simply bad tests as have been found in many parts of the country,) and/or political maneuvering to try to maximize the case count for… Federal aid? or something? at the same time the CDC has announced that we should NOT be testing asymptomatic people because likelihood of spread is so minor.
President Trump should be ashamed. He was the one who kept calling it a HOAX created by the media and democrats to destroy him when just this morning his own audio was released that he knew it was deadly but was more worried about the economy than peoples lives. Fact.
I totally agree.
Imagine if campaign financiers had foreign investors stacked up waiting to buy top resort properties at Covid induced sales prices?
I’ll bet you’re right! I hadn’t thought of that. That is just despicable.
Spot on.
This is incredibly sad. I don’t understand why the top guns at the airlines and hotel chains aren’t pounding down doors to make these governmental “leaders” hear them out and take some action. I just don’t believe a virus with a 99.9% cure rate needs to cause this much damage to people’s lives and to the Hawaiian economy. It’s not all about vacationing in paradise, it’s about survival for those who live there. Open it up! Let everyone make their own choices and stop this stupid 14-day quarantine.
AMEN!! exactly what I was thinking!
You boys are on fire!
Without a doubt you are providing the best information and context on this human tragedy. Better than the statewide media with many more resources. Well done.
As others have said, it is shocking how poorly the state has responded every step of the way. Ige is making truth of that old saying, “Nero fiddles while Rome burns”. Day after day, month after month.
It is disheartening to read the above list, especially seeing so many from our Big Island.
Hi Mike.
Thanks very much!
Aloha.
These number are stunning and very sad and highlights the need for Hawaii to diversify their economy. With many jobs now able to be done remotely perhaps Hawaii could work towards attracting those who could work remote and also provide training to residents.
So sorry for these people & Hawaii
Find a way to open to tourism and economic improvement will return. Stay restricted and it will only get worse. Pretty simple.
What the government of Hawaii has done to essentially destroyed the tourist industry and those who work in the industry is a travesty. I hope voters remember when they cast their votes for the next group of representatives. My wife and I cancelled our flight on United and a one week stay on Maui for the last week of October this year due to the continued lockdowns in the state. Now looking to spend our vacation funds at a different location as well as seriously consider to never visit Hawaii again. It’s too bad as I feel for the locals who livelihoods are tied to tourism.
WOW! Build temporary hospitals with staff from the mainland- send over the Mercy Ship and get on with it- Open up the economy fully – 88 deaths reported TODAY (9/8/20) is sad, but ECONOMIC devastation with resulting depression, suicide, drug overdose, abuse resulting in Death is going to be WAY worse than 88 Covid deaths (if that is an accurate death toll due to Covid or other comordibities who knows for sure, as each state records/reports data differently) Don’t believe me? Do the research and look at the stats of Unemployment devastation on mental and physical health:
“Research by Maragaretha Voss and her colleagues in Sweden indicated that higher death rates of previously-unemployed individuals (followed over a 24-year period) were related to higher rates of suicide, accidents, cancer and cardiovascular disease. The fact that these health risks continue for 24 years suggests that unemployment is a potentially dangerous life event”…this is just one quote from one study…
SOOOO Sad for all Hawaiians:(…
Sadly, it isn’t just Hawaii facing devastating unemployment and it’s economic and physical implications. MANY mainlanders are facing or will be facing the same thing. We are just seeing the tip of the iceberg. It will be FORTY YEARS before anyone knows the truth of what this is all about. All the important decision makers will be long dead.
Oh my goodness, these numbers break my heart. Each number corresponds to a person, and that person to a family, and on and on. We love Hawaii so much, and we miss it terribly. We will be back to support the travel economy as soon as possible! Thank you for bringing us the Hawaii news, even when it’s this sad.
Mahalo, Rita N.
Hi Rita.
Thanks.
Aloha.
Thank you for allowing me to comment. Your govenor has let this happen and should be held accountable. If you find this to be a personal attact your not going to helpyour cause. My hard earned dollars have wanted to be spent in Hawaii for months. It will not happen now.
Hi Joann.
Thanks.
Aloha.
That is heartbreaking news. It’s been very depressing seeing the closures extended month after month. I want to wish the best to the Hawaiian ohana on all of the islands. I know that it seems that tourist are not welcomed right now, and most of us understand the many reasons for safety and long term health of the people and lands, but we are many out there that are willing to return as soon as your borders open, hopefully to boost the economy back into life. However, I am saddened to hear it may be too little to late for many. It breaks my heart.
My heart is breaking right now Enough to cry tears. I don’t think I can take any more Hawaii need.
As they shut down now they have the peace they have always wanted. Now they starve
This is so heartbreaking. It seems more a problem than the virus itself. Hoping they can come up with ways to keep their number one industry alive and keep people putting food in their tables etc. Way too long to not have it things in place to keep your state alive. Beyond sad.
Very sad to see that number of hard working fellow American citizens lose their job due to indecisiveness.
I hope that things change quickly with a vaccine or whatever and we mainlanders can soon return to Hawaii
Thank you for providing this update, though truly depressing. We have loved Kauai for many, many years and will always look forward to returning. Are there ways we collectively can be of support to locals, businesses, etc. that will in any way soften this blow?
Sadly, it is clear that this will affect you as well.
Mahalo for sharing over the years.
Hi Patricia.
Thanks.
Aloha.
I too feel very sad for the people of Hawaii that have lost jobs and most likely lost hope as well. I do understand that initially we didn’t know much about this virus but I think that the decisions and actions of the government leaders in Hawaii have hurt the state and its people. The restrictions have gone on too long. We know much more now and there is successful treatment and most people 99.7 % recover. I would suggest that Hawaii take a look at what Aruba has done. They too rely on tourism and opened to tourism in July. Yes, they have had recent spread but they are managing it but staying open. Tourism isn’t back 100% but at least they are learning to balance need for economic activity/tourism along with appropriate safety measures.
So very sorry to all who are loosing jobs in Hawaii. Our hearts ache for you. We love coming to the islands to experience your love and culture and not being able to visit this year was missed by us.Hopefully you will be able to open sooner than later.
So heartbreaking. I hope the State reopens before these reductions take place. Regardless if they “open” the islands to visitors or not, anyone that does arrive, including those who are returning home, should be required to take a test. If the new app is in place, make sure the resources are available to actually track people. Otherwise, the technology is useless.
Mahalo,
Stacey L
Hi Stacey.
Thanks.
Aloha.
I’m unclear what Gov. Ing thinks at this point. I feel for the residents of Hawaii to have one so inept at the helm. Granted it doesn’t affect him as he is guaranteed his salary, but so many are not. He needs to wake up fast!! He needs to reopen his state for the sake of all of his residents and allow tourists to revisit without quarantining people to their hotels for 14 days. I would love to visit but refuse to come with those unreal expectations or having a current COVID test done within 3 days of proposed travel? What is he thinking as it takes longer than that to get one’s results and no one wants to come just to stay in their hotel room? Really Gov. Ing?? They need to recall him and fast!!
The real inept person here is President Trump. No leadership, not enough testing, leaving each state to fend for themselves. This is no hoax.
State Government, not Federal are in charge of the response to Covid. When Trump declared he would be in charge of the response to covid in March, the blue state governors went up-in-arms, that he would not be allowed. Now that states that reopened to business early have moved past the inevitable increase in cases,their economic growth is back on track, while Hawaii, California, and NY are in dire straits. Makes you wish that Trump was actually in charge of the Covid-19 policy for Hawaii, right?