New owner Larry Ellison has already set into motion changes around town but there are even bigger plans in store for the future.
four months since Billionaire Larry Ellison bought the island of Lanai and residents anticipated that meant one thing – change.
At first there is a wait and see attitude," said Lisa Grove, Lanai resident. "I’m not sure if people were nervous, except what is the future? Do I still have a job here? Is this a place I still want to raise a family?"
"With electric cars, man that’s exciting, we all know that gas is so expensive in hawaii and here on the island it’s almost $6," said Simon Seisho Tajiri, Lanai resident.
Ellison also envisions having organic farms all over the island and exporting the produce overseas.
"The notion of organic agriculture, it would be so great if all of Hawaii was getting their fruits and vegetables from here," said Grove.
Currently farms are few and far between on Lanai.
"We will need someone with a total vision, setting up a co-op, setting up a the infrastructure for a lot of farms to be on this island so we can export to Oahu and to the mainland and to Japan," said Alberta De Jetley, Lanai resident and farmer.
"A lot of those ideas when I was listening to him, came from the local people, so that’s great but we do need to make sure we do our part in caring for the island as well," said Christine Costales, Lanai resident, Kupaa No Lanai.
One big question mark is what will become of the proposed 400-megawatt wind farm that Castle & Cooke CEO David Murdock still retains development rights to?
"We are totally opposed to this project, it makes no sense financially, environmentally, culturally it would ruin this land right here," said Robin Kaye, Lanai resident, Friends of Lanai.
Castle & Cooke did not comment on the status of the wind project. And Ellison has not said if he supports it or opposes it.
But a consultant for his Lanai Island Holdings says all pro-wind signs have been removed from the company’s buildings.
"I don’t know him, I don’t know what his plans are. I’m willing to wait and see but I like what I see thus far," De Jetley added.
"My issue for Ellison, I hope whatever he plans, he plans with us and not for us," shared Kaye.
See the original article at: KHON2 Local News
