Three-wheeler operators forego fuel concession

Rohan Mathes

Three-wheeler operation, members of the Three-wheeler Operators' Union who met President Mahinda Rajapaksa at Temple Trees yesterday morning offered to forego the fuel concession granted to them by the recent 'mini-budget' and requested the President to use that money for the welfare of the members of the Security Force.

In response to the generous gesture of the three-wheeler owners, President Rajapaksa said, "This is indeed a magnanimous sacrifice.

We as a responsible Government intended to pass on the benefit of this relief to the commuters in good faith. We did not mean to gain any political leverage by it, like certain other politicians who have fallen short of new slogans for their political campaign."

However, a few members present at the meeting were of the view that they should receive the subsidy offer. They pointed out that fixing of Meters was an absolute necessity, in the streamlining process, to minimise tariff anomalies and offer relief to the commuters.

The President also assured the three-wheeler community that certain provisions brought-in by the Provincial Councils, by Gazette Notifications in the past, to streamline the three-wheeler operations, would not be implemented in a hurry.