(BIVN) – Kālepa Baybayan, the respected Pwo navigator and member of the Kahu Kū Mauna advisory council, slammed a proposal for a 60-day construction moratorium for the Thirty Meter Telescope during Wednesday’s council meeting in Kona.

“I wholeheartedly reject the resolution forwarded by the ill-considered request of Senator Kai Kahele”, testified Baybayan, with a raised voice.

“There currently is a self-imposed moratorium on construction access, and of any observatory activity, imposed by those blockading access to the summit in the name of Kapu Aloha,” he said. “Their action demonstrate anything but aloha.”

Baybayan is a TMT supporter and a member of PUEO, or Perpetuating unique Educational Opportunities.

“Law and order is not in control of the mountain,” Baybayan said. “I respect the right of protesters to protest peacefully, but not to break the law by denying legal access to the summit,” he said, referring to an incident with a Gemini observatory technician yesterday.

Before speaking, Baybayan told the council he was having a heard time controlling his breathing, therefor he was going to speak slowly. Fellow PUEO member Richard Ha later said that Baybayan had just undergone a quadruple bypass surgery. That didn’t stop him from delivering a fiery speech in which he criticized TMT opponents.

“TMT has endured a long and tenuous legal process and the Supreme Court ruled favorably to uphold BLNR’s right to grant a Conservation District Use Permit, in an adversarial process both sides present evidence to make the case. One side is successful in arguing the case, and one side is the loser. So now, disagree with the verdict by actions blockading TMT construction crews access to the mountain is the behavior of an immature adolescent and it unfairly punishes the project.”

“It is my hope that there still exists enough leaders on this council that will reject this proposed, misguided resolution based upon insight, fair duty, and reasoned leadership,” Baybayan said, loudly. “Everybody, you need to learn how to share the Mauna. Mahalo.”

The Council ultimately voted to pass the resolution by a 6 to 3 vote.