Make CTB a viable enterprise

by L.B. Wijayasiri in Kandy

The Treasury had to pay monthly Rs. 400 million to pay the salaries of about 40,000 employees of the Central Transport Board. With the salary increases it would be more than Rs. 500 million, said Deputy Transport Minister Lasantha Alagiyawanna. Since the Government could not afford to continue this state of affairs the employees should work little harder and make the CTB a viable enterprise.

The Deputy Minister was speaking at the ceremonial launching of new buses provided to Kandy North Depot of the CTB at the North Depot at Nugawela. Central Provincial Acting Chief Minister Ediriweera Weerawardhana, and Regional Director of CTB Jinasena Kurundugahamada were present.

Alagiyawanna said 40 British made double decker buses also would be imported and put on service in Colombo City.

Weerawardhana said due to the so-called open economy system introduced by the then UNP government, cooperative societies as well as other public organisations like the CTB collapsed and the common man had to pay for those sins, he said.

He had taken steps to pay a monthly pension to about 4,500 cooperative employees from 2006 and similar steps should be taken in respect of CTB employees too. That would help protect their social recognition and also encourage them to do a better service.

Regional Administrative Director CTB Jinasena Kurundugahamada also spoke.

Alagiyawanna said private transport facilities were available to about 8 per cent of the people and the rest of the population had to depend on public transport system. But unfortunately the people were unable to find transport in time, he said.

Two thousand five hundred buses will be added to the CTB fleet to improve the public transport system and those buses are to be bought from Japan, India and United Kingdom by now about, 350 new buses have been added to the CTB fleet and the balance number of buses would be made available in due course.

The Deputy Minister said it those workers did an honest and hard work the authorities would be able to make necessary arrangement to pay them pensions after retirement in place of the EPF benefits, he said.