The island resiliency is being tested as one reporter stated upon the announcement of layoffs and the closing of Moloka'i Ranch.  The company's decision to close down was due to the community opposition to development of La'au point.  Besides the closing of the Ranch and the theater, the Moloka'i Ranch gas station will also close down.  Moloka'i Ranch owners are Molokai Properties, a subsidiary of Singapore-based GuocoLeisure Ltd.  Molokai Ranch owns about 40% of the entire island. They announced they will be closing public access to all of their property.



Moloka'i Ranch is the largest private employer on the island.  Yesterday the company announced the layoff of about 120 people and the closing of the golf course and the town cinemas.  The ranch claims the opposition to a proposed development of hundreds of luxury home at La'au Point.  The Ranch claims it cannot turn a profit without the development of the homes.

Residents have mixed feelings about the closure of the luxury resort.  For years there has been strong resistance by activists to any development of this island.  The development plan called for construction of a 200-lot luxury subdivision on 500 acres of land at La'au Point.  It has divided the small close knit community.

Karen Holt of the Molokai Community Services Council sees this setback as an opportunity.  Saying, "This is an opportunity for the people who live here and love Molokai to stake a claim to own their own island after a long time of outside business interests trying to profit, sometimes at the expense of our people."

Moloka'i waitress Demello sees it as an opportunity lost.  She said, "We need something else on this island, we need something that can bring in money bring the economy up. We don't have it and we may not even get it now." 

DeMello went on to say many residents support the ranch and its efforts. "There's a lot also with us, and most of them, the people that are with us, don't want to voice themselves because I'm afraid."   she said wiping tears from her eyes.

Office of Hawaiian Affairs Trustee Colette Machado was once a part of Molokai's anti-development movement.  Machado says she had a changed her mind after Molokai Ranch demonstrated an effort to reach a compromise that would address both development and conservation on the island.

“We're always looking to find a middle road that will protect the best of our island and to allow some form of economic involvement.”  said Machado.  The proposed development of La'au Point in exchange for 54,000 acres of land owned by Moloka'i Ranch was a deal to create a stable economic environment.

In the 1970's Moloka'i workforce transitioned from an agriculture economy to a tourism economy when the pineapple industry ceased operations and the the Sheraton Moloka'i Hotel opened.  Governor Linda Lingle noted, “At that time it was a phase out of one industry but there was something there replacing it,” she said, “It was a matter of retraining. This is a very different situation. This is a situation of nothing to transition to in a big way.”

As I watched the evening news reporting talking to teary eyed people who are losing their jobs but still support the ranch.  Many of them would not talk on camera, but they blame the people who have fought so hard against development at La'au Point.  Yes, the activist won, but what have they really won?  I wonder.

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Mediterranean Style Red Snapper with Steamed Asparagus and Jasmine Rice