Mailbag

Universal Power
I was dismayed to read Dr. Chiyome Fukino's opinion of universal health care as practiced in Canada, England, and all industrialized countries for that matter, as reported in Hawaii Business (April 2003). It goes against the charter of her agency and is insulting to the employees of her agency. What is it that those countries have understood about private health care that we fail to grasp - developing a strong public health care system?

Countries with universal health care have solved "the complex problems" (as quoted from Dr. Fukino) and achieved what is at the heart of our health crisis:
• They have removed greed from health care. No Wall Street listings, stockmarketing, inflated CEO benefits.
• They have returned the medical profession to its core function: Mainly to fully adhere to the Hippocratic oath and care for patients. Hardly the case today as doctors and nurses are squeezed by ever increasing money-making insurance businesses. Mind you, in other countries, private care exists and doctors share their time between their private practice and public hospitals. The choice is left to the patient: Private or public. Most choose public.
• They have freed the patients from terrible hardship and unnecessary stress - all are covered. In France, cab driver Antonio Tabaldo, as repor`ted in your article, and his wife, would be completely covered regardless of his and her ability to pay. I ask: What is so wrong with that?

Of course health care is expensive. The point is that universal health care gets support from a broad tax-base. Furthermore, I strongly believe it is an inviting proposition for Hawaii's businesses. Their rates would go down or disappear altogether as the tax-base support increases.

I challenge Dr. Chiyome Fukino, under the leadership of Gov. Linda Lingle, to think outside of the box, and to convey a power meeting with experts from UH, Canada, England, France. Let us find out how other countries care for their constituents using public funding and no insurance industry, because the crisis is not going away - indeed, people get sick from time to time.

With much aloha.
Jacques M. Bargiel

Maui Mahalos
A BIG mahalo for your article "There's Something About Maui" (June 2003). Not only were many people from the construction trade, Wailea Resort and the High Tech Park talking about the story, but many of the local residents I know spoke about how it hit home about Maui's challenges with affordable housing, the economy and infrastructure woes (specifically, the traffic).

We also really appreciate your mentioning the LifeFest Maui at Wailea event, the newest event to hit our island that promises to be a major attraction for health and wellness enthusiasts nationwide. Interesting enough, last week alone we had close to 400 hits from those who heard about the event on the Mainland. We're hoping this translates to visitors and dollars spent on Maui that will help boost our economy.

Keep up the great work at Hawaii Business magazine!

Linn Nishikawa
Linn Nishikawa & Associates Inc., Wailuku, Maui

Hello, Mr. Arnoldus
As a subscriber to Hawaii Business, I compliment you and your colleagues for an excellent magazine. I especially find your column and other articles you prepare to be insightful and enjoyable reading.

Your most recent [column] (June 2003) on the CPB/City Bank situation prompted this note as the subject matter falls into our area of expertise - bank marketing. With community bank clients in 24 states (sadly none in Hawaii), I found particular interest in your article; and thought you might find the following of interest.

A long-term study conducted by Moffitt & Associates and DataSearch Systems, consisted of detailed, one-to-one telephone interviews with over 500,000 community bank customers. Among the most relevant “bottom line” notes for consumer wants and expectations were:
• Local loan decisions.
• Dealing with people they know.
• Doing business with a bank in which decision makers are accessible.

Hello, Mr. Arnoldus. Are you listening?

Our company has over one hundred relationships with community banks in marketing and publishing; and through brand licensing and syndicated advertising services, more than 3,000.

With that breadth of experience and real-time market exposure, we see consistencies across the board. Consumer preferences remain constant, regardless of which state they're in. They prefer doing their banking with "smaller, more local" banks; rather than with mega-regionals or foreign-owned "puppet" operations. That's why the curve in de novo (new charter) banks began reversing the industry "consolidation" trend in the middle-late '90s.

Across the country, new, small banks open almost every day. The reasons are simple.

Large infrastructures require higher fees, pay lower wages on the front line, have more restrictive loan policies and committees, and offer considerably less "personal" service and flexibility. So, while "aloha spirit" may be evident throughout your beautiful state, I would wager that, like their Mainland counterparts, Hawaiian consumers very much want to feel that they have fewer degrees of separation to the banking powers that be.

If CB gets swallowed, within 18 months of the deal you'll see at least two new, very well-backed bank charters formed by investors (and former CB execs). These will be the core people who understand what community banks mean to their market and are willing to dedicate themselves to addressing those needs.

They will make inroads and very happy customers quickly.

Sincere regards,
Fred M. Crean - President
Signal Group Publishing Inc.
Nashville, Tenn.

P.S. On a personal note, thank you for referencing The Purpose of Driven Life in one of your most recent columns. I might not have otherwise discovered it.

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