FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                       May 12, 2005

MAYOR TRAVELS TO WASHINGTON, D.C., AND NEW YORK  

 Honolulu Mayor Mufi Hannemann will travel to Washington, D.C., next week for a meeting of the U.S. Department of Labor Advisory Council on Apprenticeship and to New York City to participate in the sale of City municipal bonds.

Hannemann was recently appointed to the federal Apprenticeship Advisory Council by Secretary of Labor Elaine Chao. Hannemann is the only mayor on the panel, which advises the U.S. Department of Labor in managing the National Apprenticeship System.

“This is crucial to Honolulu and the state’s future as we look at the number of jobs we have to fill in construction, technology and health care,” said Hannemann, who previously served on the President’s Council on the 21^st Century Workforce. “The need is for job training to develop a skilled workforce.”

The mayor will also go to New York to be part of Honolulu’s first bond sale since he took office. Hannemann made presentations to representatives from three bond rating firms in Kapolei last week. “Maintaining a good bond rating, is crucial to the City’s fiscal well-being,” he said.

The mayor will be out of town from Sunday, May 15, through May 20. Managing Director Jeff Coelho will be acting mayor in his absence after May 16. Because Coelho will be out of town this weekend, Budget and Fiscal Services Director Mary Pat Waterhouse will be acting mayor on  May 15 and 16, as provided in the Honolulu City Charter.

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Contact:  

      Mark Matsunaga, 527-5767

      Bill Brennan, 527-6928