Fury grows in Maui among residents who feel islanders are 'being ignored' by Joe Biden
MAUI, HAWAII: Ella Sable Tacderan, a resident of Maui Island, became emotional during a live appearance on CNN on Thursday and asked why President Joe Biden was taking so long to visit the fire-affected island of Maui.
Tacderan further posed the poignant question of why the residents of Hawaii are being ignored by the government, per Fox News.
Who is Ella Sable Tacderan?
Ella Sable Tacderan is a Lobby Concierge of Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts in Wailea of South Maui, per her LinkedIn profile. She is also housing 23 family members who have been displaced because of the conflagration in Lahaina.
During an appearance on CNN on Thursday, August 17, Tacderan was visibly agitated and disheartened when she said, "It's really affecting me because where’s the President?"
Tacderan continued to ask, "I mean, aren’t we Americans, too? We’re part of the United States. Why are we getting put in the back pocket? Why are we being ignored?"
She further claimed during the interview that the small help they have received from the government feels like a “slap in the face” because of the amount.
She was found saying, "My parents received a check for $700, which was a slap in the face," before adding, "$700 was given by the government, and I feel like it’s not enough.”
“Living in Hawaii," Tacderan continued, "everything is so expensive. Groceries can be as much as $700 just for one grocery run. And it’s not enough."
She made a point that most of the elderly families in Hawaii are “computer illiterate” adding to their misery, as she believes this can be a cause for their applications for aid from FEMA are getting “turned away.”
When is Joe Biden coming to Hawaii?
Joe Biden recently made an announcement that he would be visiting Hawaii during an event in Wisconsin on Tuesday. The President and the First Lady are expected to make their visit to Hawaii on Monday, August 21.
President Biden said previously, "My wife Jill and I are gonna travel to Hawaii as soon as we can, and that's what I've been talking to the governor about. I don't want to get in the way.”
He added, “I've been to too many disaster areas, but I want to go and make sure they've got everything they need, and I want to be sure we don't disrupt the ongoing recovery efforts.”
On Thursday, August 17, President Joe Biden said in a recorded video message which aired on ABC News ‘Good Morning America’, "Already from the darkness and the smoke and the ash -- we’ve seen the light of hope and strength.”
He further said, "That's Hawaii -- that’s America," before adding, "And I want the people of Hawaii to know your country is with you as long as it takes. God bless those we've lost. God bless the people of Hawaii."
The White House said in a statement on Wednesday, "The President continues to marshal a whole-of-government response to the deadly Maui fires, and he has committed to delivering everything that the people of Hawaii need from the federal government as they recover from this disaster.”
On Tuesday, Biden said, "We will be there in Maui as long as it takes," before adding, "As long as it takes. And I mean that sincerely,” per ABC News.