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| Friday, 6 February 2004 |
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by Anjana Gamage Private bus operators yesterday called off their threatened strike following an undertaking by the Finance Ministry instructing all leasing companies to withdraw the 15 per cent VAT levy on bus lease rentals. The strike was scheduled to commence from mid-night yesterday. The strike was called off by the Lanka Private Bus Operators Association (LPBOA) after the Finance Ministry officials promised on February 3 that they will take steps to remove the 15 per cent lease rental tax on buses from the leasing companies, Chairman of LPBOA, Gemunu Wijeratne, said. Addressing a press conference at Nugegoda yesterday morning, Chairman Wijeratne confirmed that no private bus operators strike would come into effect in the days to come as already a railway strike is going on. "At present people are suffering largely due to the railway strike. We don't want to put them to another hardship by going for a strike. Therefore, I would like to stress the point to public that there will be no private bus strike in the days to come, he said. According to Wijeratne Ministers Bandula Gunawardena and Ravi Karunanayake along with the officials attached to the Treasury agreed to remove the 15 percent VAT introduced from January 1st at the special discussion held with the members of the LPBOA on January 11. Meanwhile, a special committee comprising members of the Lanka Private Bus Operators' Association, and officials of the Ministries of Finance and Consumer Affairs were appointed recently to make recommendations to the government in respect of those currently purchasing buses. Rohan de Silva, Secretary to the LPBOA, N. Selvaraja, Treasurer of the LPBOA, Deputy Chairman G.N. Jayaweera and the All Island Organiser Wasantha de Silva participated at yesterday's press-conference of the LPBOA which has a strength of 15,000 membership. |
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