Ban GMOs in Hawaii County
Testimony before the Committee on Public Safety & Mass Transit (2 min. time limit)
by Jim Albertini, president of Malu ‘Aina Center for Non-violent Education and Action
Kurtistown Hawaii.
33 years farming in Kurtistown growing a wide variety of organic fruits and vegetables
Testimony in Support of Bill 109 and Bill 113 to Ban GMOs in Hawaii County
I like the direct, comprehensive nature of Bill 109. If I would change anything, it would be to eliminate jail time as a consequence. We don’t need to put more people in Jail. As for Bill 113, I like the simply stated prohibition, but the exemptions seem way too broad with no sunset date.
The basic issue is this: Genetic engineering (GE) and Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs) are not part of the natural process. GMOs are not hybrids. Let’s be clear about that. The unintended consequences of GMOs like the consequences of global warming, may be irreparable. Given such possibilities, it is time to practice the precautionary principle. It is the pono thing to do for people, plants, and animals, for the land, for the water, the air, for the earth itself.
The spirituality of Native people the world over has a reverence for nature and natural processes. There is a genuine organic interconnection of people to nature. People are not separate from nature. It is realized when we destroy nature we destroy ourselves. Arrogance comes in when people separate themselves from nature and from one another and begin to view everything as a commodity to be bought and sold for personal gain. Industrial agribusiness and GMOs are examples of this.
If our world is to survive we need to return to nature and respect for natural processes and the environment and begin to restore what we have lost. We need action from the council and we need it now to stop GMOs in Hawaii County. Mahalo.
Jim Albertini
Sept. 4, 2013
Jim Albertini Malu ‘Aina Center For Non-violent Education & Action P.O. Box AB Ola’a (Kurtistown) Hawai’i 96760 Phone 808-966-7622 Email ja@malu-aina.org www.malu-aina.org
