The debate over Oahu's proposed mass transit system is getting personal.

On Thursday, some Honolulu City Council members attacked the credibility of the experts, especially the project's opponent.

Last week, a five-member panel chose steel wheel on steel rail as the best transit vehicle. On Thursday, the credibility of the panel was put to the test.

Four of panelists are from the mainland and are also the people that say steel wheel on steel rail is the best.

The fifth panel member, Panos Prevedouros, lives here in Hawaii and is an outspoken opponent of the entire project. He said he was kept out of the loop.

"Your commentary is that you were ignored you were a third wheel so to speak," asked Councilmember Charles Djou, during the Transportation and Public Works Committee meeting.

"Definitely I always found the meeting place based on the Honolulu Advertiser," responded Prevedouros.

"What? You were never informed where the meetings were?" asked Djou.

"No, I had to double check with them and would ask, 'Are we meeting at the mayor's conference room? Oh no Dr. Prevedouros the meeting has changed.'"

Professor Prevedouros teaches civil engineering at the University of Hawaii at Manoa. Councilman Gary Okino questioned his lack of expertise.

"Do you have long term experience running systems or working with mass transit systems on a regular basis for any length of time?" asked Okino.

"The answer would be no. If I may take 10 seconds to say a lot of the information you are referring to, the FTA (Federal Transit Administration) does a very good job at summarizing it," responded Prevedouros.

"In other words we can also get that information too so we could be experts too right?" rebutted Okino.

"No, well in specific questions yeah of course," said Prevedouros.

Then Okino went further attacking his motives. Prevedouros is president of the Hawaii Highway Users Alliance, which represents the Automobile Dealers Association, which opposes the public transportation project.

"Basically you're a lobbyist for the Automobile Association," Okino said.

"Oh please sir, I recent your concern. I'm not going to answer your question," replied Prevedouros.

At the end of the hearing the committee voted 4 to 1 to keep the transit proposal on the table.

"The public can see this for exactly what it is. Everything was pre-planned from the beginning to get a steel wheel on steel rail system and from my perspective I think the public is being railroaded on this. I think it's unfortunate," said Djou, who voted against.

"If you ask me, 10 years ago I would have told you steel on steel is the right technology because that's the only one that really makes sense" said Okino, who voted for the transit technology.

The issue will go on to be debated at the next council meeting March 19. In all the transit will need to be approved three more times before it would actually go to the mayor's office to sign into law. The earliest that could happen is April 16.

---