Private bus strike ends

by Ananth Palakidnar and Rajmi Manatunga

The islandwide strike of private bus operators was called off at 7 p.m. yesterday.

This decision was reached following talks held for more than eight hours between Deputy Transport Minister Lasantha Alagiyawanna and the All Ceylon Motor Vehicle Owners and Drivers Association which comprises private bus operators and certain container, school van and three wheeler drivers unions.

The talks started at 10.30 am, while the strike was in progress. Around 7 p.m. top level officials from the Transport Ministry succeeded in bringing an end to the strike which crippled public transport to a great extent.

Commuters were greatly inconvenienced by the private bus operators strike demanding the withdrawal of legislation increasing fines for traffic offences.

The Secretary to the Deputy Transport Minister Dr. D.S.Jayaweera told the Daily News that the Ministry was very firm on the implementation of the Increases of Fines Act No 12 of 2005.

"The talks continued for several hours without reaching a settlement. However, the Ministry gave three hours to private bus operators to study the Act in detail and to articulate their response. Later they returned to the table agreeing with 17 of the 19 clauses of the Act and seeking a definition for two clauses. The Ministry later agreed to give them the legal definition on the general terms of those two clauses," Dr.Jayaweera said.

The Ministry also urged the private bus operators to submit their proposals and suggestions to the Ministry within one week on the Increases of Fines Act, Dr.Jayaweera added.

Earlier, Deputy Transport Minister Lasantha Alagiyawanna vowed not to give into the threats of private bus operators. "The Government is not ready to act according to the terms of private bus owners who go on strike without giving adequate notice," Alagiyawanna said.

A large number of commuters were stranded at bus terminals unable to get into over-crowded CTB buses. There was a significant drop in attendance at Government institutions and schools since most school vans refrained from running in support of the strike.

There were reports that some van operators and three wheeler drivers had been threatened by organised groups.However, the impact of the strike was lessened due to the Government's timely action to deploy more CTB buses and trains to prevent a complete breakdown in public transport.

All cluster depots operated at maximum capacity and even buses from CTB driving schools were brought in.

Members of the public who phoned in to radio talkshows on the private bus strike condemned the bus union bosses, sometimes describing them as 'terrorists' and urged the Government not to give into their unreasonable demands even though the commuters had to suffer to some extent. They praised the CTB for rising to the occasion using available resources and called on the Government to strengthen the State transport sector.

A Railways Department spokesman told the Daily News that nine additional trains have been deployed to cater to the increase in train commuters owing to the private bus strike. Meanwhile, an organisation has been formed to safeguard commuters' rights against arbitrary action by private bus operators and to provide an alternative transport service during a strike.

Deputy Social Welfare Minister S.M Chandrasena has been appointed as the Chairman of the organisation which has been named the All Ceylon Association for the Protection of the Welfare of Commuters.

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No rail strike There will be no rail strike today, the United Front of Railway Trade Unions said last night. In a letter addressed to Railways Minister Felix Perera, the Unions said they had suspended the token 48-hour strike scheduled for today as there is a positive response to their demands from the Ministry. They urged the Minister to address their grievances within 21 days.