235 thoughts on “Closures, Furloughs and Terminations Explode in Hawaii”
Jill M
This is so heartbreaking! I love coming to the islands and can’t wait to get back when the 14 day quarantine is lifted!
Linda D
I am puzzled by the immediate multiple responses politicizing this unfortunate circumstance that my beloved Hawaii is in. If a scientific approach was taken to COVID and advice by public health officials follwoed– early and frequent testing, shutting down as needed and opening as the data dictated was safe as we did in our state (New Mexico, predominately D, led by a D governor, Hawaii might be in a better position. There have been many states who have handled COVID successfully, both D and R. And many that are struggling like Hawaii–led by republicans, or deemed a “Red” state. As most of the world has realized, if you follow the science and recommendations of health professionals (mandatory masks, closures, social distancing etc…)you get ahead of COVID.
TL
Thank you for an objective look at the situation. I might add that states usually look to the federal government for guidance in health crises.
Harvey H.
You’re puzzled by people bringing up politics, then you post endless political nonsense. More like your disappointed that a dem gov has shown his total incompetence and is being called out for it.
“Follow the science” is a great trope, but the “science” has been so pathetic and self-contradictory as to drive those who follow it mad. When’s the last time you heard someone sneeze in public? That’s all that masks are good for, and maybe not even that if you just cover your mouth like any any four year old knows to. You don’t know half of what you think you do about this disease, and my guess is that most public health officials don’t either. That’s why they’re freaking out about the true rate of death from just covid, per the CDC. A rate that I predicted in March, and posted about here two months ago. Get with the program.
The virus may be new, but the way you deal with it is not: isolate the sick and vulnerable, not the healthy and strong. You’re weak, scared, or vulnerable? Great, stay indoors while the rest of us keep the world moving forward. We’ve got this, just self isolate and check for your shadow in February to see if we will have 6 more months of lockdown.
Deb
Totally agree @ Harvey H.!!! Well said. The panic has been ridiculous for a virus that has a 99.8% survival rate. The numbers are so skewed all over – Boston just shut down a lab for high number of false positives not to mention people who were never tested getting letter or call that they test positive. Here in MA Over 70% (probably more) of deaths have been those over 70 with multiple comorbidities in nursing homes/long term care facilities, our governor failed to protect this population even though they knew they were the most vulnerable, same thing happened in NYC. The ‘science’ has been wrong from the start – even the guy that predicted over 2 million deaths has been discredited. Protect the vulnerable populations, isolate the most at risk and let the healthy go about living and keeping the economy going.
Beth U.
Aloha Hawaii. Re-think how you’re going to vote this November. One party has shown economic growth and has implemented pro-active COVID-19 strategies and partnerships to re-gain economical growth and medical advances to combat these medical issues-COVID. Look to examples of states that are opening up and those who never closed and are succeeding. What party do they represent? There lies your answer to Hawaii’s reopening… and renewed prosperity…
Jan F
This is absolutely heartbreaking for the islands and the residents! There is no reason that a plan could not have been in place for a safe return to tourism (and its $). Your governor and elected officials should all be removed for gross incompetence but until the population of Hawaii realizes that they have the power I fear nothing will be done. Here on the mainland so much is open! We have had to cancel 3 planned trips to the Big Island and we have reluctantly decided to pick a new location to visit. It will sadly most likely be a few years til our return. Thank you BOH for the continued excellent coverage and articles.
Beat of Hawaii
Hi Jan.
Thanks for your comments.
Aloha.
Erin M.
This is such a sad situation! Rita makes a great point. While the 17,000+ people on this list continue to be unemployed, I hope that some of the 65,000 government employees in Hawaii are also working for the people free of charge. While 85 Covid-19 deaths is obviously tragic, with widespread unemployment comes significant adverse health effects as well.
Hopefully, Hawaii will reopen soon. Sending Aloha to all who are affected.
Steve
They said they needed to do this to flatten the curve. They need to hold the line and extend the travel ban until April 2021. The important thing is the health of the locals. No one wants this killer disease. So they lose a little money. Small price to pay for their health. I have the $10,000 I was going to spend on the island and they have their health. It’s really a win, win scenario. Aloha and good thoughts to the people of Hawaii. Enjoy you Haole free year. It’s not often you get to be away from the people you dont want around you.
Keith G
This is so sad and disheartening. Will the islands ever be the same again? I sincerely hope we tourists will be allowed back to freely support your economy and businesses.
Tim m
Thanks for your information, quite stunning but with extended closure it was going to happen . Do u know if this intended termination of employees is meant to tell state officials to think carefully what they decide on extending the closure as it’s the point of no return . Once these employees are gone they may not be there to rehire , and Actually lots of skill involved in some of these jobs .
Beat of Hawaii
Hi Tim.
Thanks.
Aloha.
Jared X
You bring up a great point, Tim, which is not only the short term costs of layoffs and job losses–but the long term costs as well. Certainly, some of these employees will either move off island in search of better opportunities in better run states–and the ones that do stay in Hawaii will be dumped into perhaps the worst job market since the great depression (or the end of sugar production)–and into lower wage jobs with fewer benefits–since a huge pool of recently unemployed job seekers in the market means that employers can pay less and offer fewer perks and benefits to fill their jobs.
And not only will many of those who lose their jobs due to the pandemic have to re-train for their new jobs–but if and when the resorts and other tourism-related businesses DO rehire at some future point–they will likely have to spend millions (collectively) training their new hires.
And then, of course, there’s the question of what happens when the states unemployment coffers are empty–and the huge burden to the state of paying out even MORE in food stamps and health care to all of these newly unemployed (many of which were probably already on EBT since the threshold for qualifying is so low in Hawaii). But, with roughly $10,000,000,000 in public debt already, Hawaii is, in effect, already a failed / bankrupt state.
Matt D
This is so unfortunate but also unnecessary. I said it months ago in my comments….Great Depression era unemployment, crime, limited business start-ups, and sadly deeper mental health issues. I work in commercial real estate and this wasn’t hard to see. The leadership just couldn’t come up with a solution to save their life and now this will be their legacy – a wholesale failure to their constituents. Forever.
The other reader is right – impeach, recall, do whatever you guys can do to re-launch as safely as possible. Cases won’t ever go down when you open. They were never going to. Testing (looks promising), capacity and early treatments are the way forward.
On the bright side, demand for Hawaiian travel will almost certainly snap back faster than “experts” think. (It’s hard to see it now, when you’re at 2% of normal, but it will.). And someone needs to get a deal cut with the airlines regarding availability, process and cost measures with this Abbott rapid test. Hilton, Marriott, Southwest and Hawaiian Air have the most to lose (and gain) here, so tell them to start lobbying.
Nothing is permanent, Hawaii. (Especially your government leaders!!!). So now’s the time to gird those loins and buckle down. You got this!!!
Julie H
Incredibly heartbroken is what most of us are feeling for all of Hawaii
We are praying for you all hoping to return soon that we can return all of the Aloha spirit shown to us over the years
Joe and I send a lot of love and hopeful thoughts for a better tomorrow and we cannot wait to return to support all business
Mahalo,
Julie
Beat of Hawaii
Hi Julie.
Thanks.
Aloha.
Comments are closed.
Aloha!
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This is so heartbreaking! I love coming to the islands and can’t wait to get back when the 14 day quarantine is lifted!
I am puzzled by the immediate multiple responses politicizing this unfortunate circumstance that my beloved Hawaii is in. If a scientific approach was taken to COVID and advice by public health officials follwoed– early and frequent testing, shutting down as needed and opening as the data dictated was safe as we did in our state (New Mexico, predominately D, led by a D governor, Hawaii might be in a better position. There have been many states who have handled COVID successfully, both D and R. And many that are struggling like Hawaii–led by republicans, or deemed a “Red” state. As most of the world has realized, if you follow the science and recommendations of health professionals (mandatory masks, closures, social distancing etc…)you get ahead of COVID.
Thank you for an objective look at the situation. I might add that states usually look to the federal government for guidance in health crises.
You’re puzzled by people bringing up politics, then you post endless political nonsense. More like your disappointed that a dem gov has shown his total incompetence and is being called out for it.
“Follow the science” is a great trope, but the “science” has been so pathetic and self-contradictory as to drive those who follow it mad. When’s the last time you heard someone sneeze in public? That’s all that masks are good for, and maybe not even that if you just cover your mouth like any any four year old knows to. You don’t know half of what you think you do about this disease, and my guess is that most public health officials don’t either. That’s why they’re freaking out about the true rate of death from just covid, per the CDC. A rate that I predicted in March, and posted about here two months ago. Get with the program.
The virus may be new, but the way you deal with it is not: isolate the sick and vulnerable, not the healthy and strong. You’re weak, scared, or vulnerable? Great, stay indoors while the rest of us keep the world moving forward. We’ve got this, just self isolate and check for your shadow in February to see if we will have 6 more months of lockdown.
Totally agree @ Harvey H.!!! Well said. The panic has been ridiculous for a virus that has a 99.8% survival rate. The numbers are so skewed all over – Boston just shut down a lab for high number of false positives not to mention people who were never tested getting letter or call that they test positive. Here in MA Over 70% (probably more) of deaths have been those over 70 with multiple comorbidities in nursing homes/long term care facilities, our governor failed to protect this population even though they knew they were the most vulnerable, same thing happened in NYC. The ‘science’ has been wrong from the start – even the guy that predicted over 2 million deaths has been discredited. Protect the vulnerable populations, isolate the most at risk and let the healthy go about living and keeping the economy going.
Aloha Hawaii. Re-think how you’re going to vote this November. One party has shown economic growth and has implemented pro-active COVID-19 strategies and partnerships to re-gain economical growth and medical advances to combat these medical issues-COVID. Look to examples of states that are opening up and those who never closed and are succeeding. What party do they represent? There lies your answer to Hawaii’s reopening… and renewed prosperity…
This is absolutely heartbreaking for the islands and the residents! There is no reason that a plan could not have been in place for a safe return to tourism (and its $). Your governor and elected officials should all be removed for gross incompetence but until the population of Hawaii realizes that they have the power I fear nothing will be done. Here on the mainland so much is open! We have had to cancel 3 planned trips to the Big Island and we have reluctantly decided to pick a new location to visit. It will sadly most likely be a few years til our return. Thank you BOH for the continued excellent coverage and articles.
Hi Jan.
Thanks for your comments.
Aloha.
This is such a sad situation! Rita makes a great point. While the 17,000+ people on this list continue to be unemployed, I hope that some of the 65,000 government employees in Hawaii are also working for the people free of charge. While 85 Covid-19 deaths is obviously tragic, with widespread unemployment comes significant adverse health effects as well.
Hopefully, Hawaii will reopen soon. Sending Aloha to all who are affected.
They said they needed to do this to flatten the curve. They need to hold the line and extend the travel ban until April 2021. The important thing is the health of the locals. No one wants this killer disease. So they lose a little money. Small price to pay for their health. I have the $10,000 I was going to spend on the island and they have their health. It’s really a win, win scenario. Aloha and good thoughts to the people of Hawaii. Enjoy you Haole free year. It’s not often you get to be away from the people you dont want around you.
This is so sad and disheartening. Will the islands ever be the same again? I sincerely hope we tourists will be allowed back to freely support your economy and businesses.
Thanks for your information, quite stunning but with extended closure it was going to happen . Do u know if this intended termination of employees is meant to tell state officials to think carefully what they decide on extending the closure as it’s the point of no return . Once these employees are gone they may not be there to rehire , and Actually lots of skill involved in some of these jobs .
Hi Tim.
Thanks.
Aloha.
You bring up a great point, Tim, which is not only the short term costs of layoffs and job losses–but the long term costs as well. Certainly, some of these employees will either move off island in search of better opportunities in better run states–and the ones that do stay in Hawaii will be dumped into perhaps the worst job market since the great depression (or the end of sugar production)–and into lower wage jobs with fewer benefits–since a huge pool of recently unemployed job seekers in the market means that employers can pay less and offer fewer perks and benefits to fill their jobs.
And not only will many of those who lose their jobs due to the pandemic have to re-train for their new jobs–but if and when the resorts and other tourism-related businesses DO rehire at some future point–they will likely have to spend millions (collectively) training their new hires.
And then, of course, there’s the question of what happens when the states unemployment coffers are empty–and the huge burden to the state of paying out even MORE in food stamps and health care to all of these newly unemployed (many of which were probably already on EBT since the threshold for qualifying is so low in Hawaii). But, with roughly $10,000,000,000 in public debt already, Hawaii is, in effect, already a failed / bankrupt state.
This is so unfortunate but also unnecessary. I said it months ago in my comments….Great Depression era unemployment, crime, limited business start-ups, and sadly deeper mental health issues. I work in commercial real estate and this wasn’t hard to see. The leadership just couldn’t come up with a solution to save their life and now this will be their legacy – a wholesale failure to their constituents. Forever.
The other reader is right – impeach, recall, do whatever you guys can do to re-launch as safely as possible. Cases won’t ever go down when you open. They were never going to. Testing (looks promising), capacity and early treatments are the way forward.
On the bright side, demand for Hawaiian travel will almost certainly snap back faster than “experts” think. (It’s hard to see it now, when you’re at 2% of normal, but it will.). And someone needs to get a deal cut with the airlines regarding availability, process and cost measures with this Abbott rapid test. Hilton, Marriott, Southwest and Hawaiian Air have the most to lose (and gain) here, so tell them to start lobbying.
Nothing is permanent, Hawaii. (Especially your government leaders!!!). So now’s the time to gird those loins and buckle down. You got this!!!
Incredibly heartbroken is what most of us are feeling for all of Hawaii
We are praying for you all hoping to return soon that we can return all of the Aloha spirit shown to us over the years
Joe and I send a lot of love and hopeful thoughts for a better tomorrow and we cannot wait to return to support all business
Mahalo,
Julie
Hi Julie.
Thanks.
Aloha.