Developer should fund a heritage park in Lahaina

Stanford Carr Development and investors, responsible for the construction of Kahoma Village, have life-altering decisions to make. Conventional advice is to avoid consequences for wrongdoing at all costs.

However, there is a better way. Learning from my own experience, even if at great expense and potential to lose everything, doing the right thing is worth it.

Years ago, faced with enormous debt, financial consultants and lawyers recommended bankruptcy as the only alternative. Despite warnings, we went against their expert advice. Filing bankruptcy would be our last resort.

We decided, even if ramifications lasted for decades with wage garnishment, or we became homeless as the result of trying to do what is right, then homelessness would be an adventure.

Looking back on God’s goodness and faithfulness throughout our life, we trust the Lord, even if the results proved devastating. Regardless of the outcome, whether good or bad, we did what we could to make things right and suffered consequences of poor choices.

Scripture tells us: “No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it.”

Within 18 months, we were debt-free. Our home paid off the following year. Only God could have delivered in such a miraculous way.

Here is their chance to do what is right: provide funding for a historical public park in Lahaina. The recognition memorial, a permanent testament, would acknowledge their generous contributions.

When addressing wrongdoings, consider the blessings instead of the costs.

Stanford Carr Development and investors could emulate Montgomery Ward. While addressing the wrongdoings associated with Kahoma Village, as directed by the Hawaii Supreme Court, they have an opportunity for greatness, too.

Montgomery Ward started the first mail-order company, coining the phrase: “Satisfaction Guaranteed or Your Money Back.”

Ward’s valiant efforts to preserve lakefront property in Chicago for open-space infuriated developers, businessmen and city officials. Discouraged, after 20 years of struggle to preserve a park for the people, Ward stated, “Perhaps I may yet see the public appreciate my efforts. But I doubt it.”

Dying in 1913, Ward passed away before acknowledgement of his great contribution to the city. However, about that time, this letter was published in the Chicago Tribune by J.J. Wallace: “Who shall set a value on his service? The present generation, I believe, hardly appreciates what has been given them, but those who come later, as they avail themselves of the breathing spot, will realize it.”

A commemorative plaque states: “Aaron Montgomery Ward had a vision for Chicago’s lakefront that set him apart from many of his contemporaries. For two decades (1890-1910) he fought tirelessly to preserve Chicago’s shoreline for recreational use and to assure that the city’s ‘front yard’ would remain free of industry. Grant Park is his legacy to the city he loved… his gift to the future.”

This sentiment, “gift to the future,” could be the vision and conviction to do what is right.

Provide funding to develop a beautiful heritage park to make up for Lahaina’s loss of park space in the community plan. Include features in the park to celebrate Hawaii’s history. Honor the events and historical figures associated with the property where Kahoma Village subdivision now stands.

These kinds of things are what could result from resolving this grievous situation in an honorable way to be proud of.

MICHELE LINCOLN, Lahaina

Lessons learned from being hacked and scammed

Earlier this month, I responded to an e-mail stating that I had ordered an expensive television from Amazon and to call a certain number in order to cancel the order.

I called the number — a mistake which I will explain a bit later — and was told by a man named Alex Brown that the order had indeed been made and that my Amazon account had been hacked by over ten hackers located in various states, Canada and Australia. He told me that if I purchased gift cards in the amount of $500, he could follow up on the hackers and attempt to eliminate them from my account.

I bought eight gift cards of $500 each. I was told that the man would call me the next day to inform me of the status of the work he had done.

He did leave a telephone number, and the next day, he did call me. His new message was that I was to purchase even more gift cards in order to complete the removal of the hackers.

That date, the next day, I called Amazon, my bank and American Express. I had purchased and given the man numbers from the eight gift cards totaling $4,000.

All three — Amazon, the bank and American Express — told me that the man was a fraud and that none of these institutions could institute proceedings regarding fraud because I was complicit in the activities.

So now, I have been a victim of an amazingly executed scam. Here’s what I have subsequently learned:

The e-mail came from a party other than Amazon (i.e. Lamphered LLC).

The advice I was given by all three institutions that I had contacted hoping that a fraudulent case could result informed me that the best action would have been to look up the Lamphered LLC name on the Internet to explore who this was. And, that unless an e-mail came from Amazon about an Amazon action, the company would not have been the culprit.

So, when I looked up Lamphered LLC on the Internet, I found that many individuals had submitted information about this entity, as they had discovered that it had instituted a scam to many.

And, so, lesson learned. Always explore the name of the individual/company given in the e-mail before taking any action. Feeling embarrassed and guilty and cash poor, I am sharing this information in hopes that this will spare others of my pain. Signed anonymous, as I’m too embarrassed to sign my real name.

NAME WITHHELD BY REQUEST