Demanding removal of NTc management:

Bus operators to protest

Irangika RANGE

The All Island Bus Operators Association's (AIBOA) President Stanley Fernando said they will stage a massive demonstration if the authorities fail to remove the National Transport Commission Chairman and the Director Board within one week.

"Thereafter, we will resort a seven-day private bus strike if the authorities still do not listen to us," he told the media in Colombo."

He said the private bus sector would he completely ruined by the decisions taken by the NTC's Chairman and the Director Board.

The private bus service will be handed over to multinational companies if these decisions are implemented.

Therefore, we should resist these moves," he said. He said demonstrations will be launched on the inter-provincial routes initially.

Thereafter it will be expanded to provincial level," he said.

The All Island Bus Operators Association as an organization which supports the Government is requesting President Mahinda Rajapaksa to look into this matter and take necessary action to prevent the implementing of these destructive moves against the private bus industry.

As a result of the tender procedure implemented by the NTC, the annual fee to obtain the route permit has been increased up to Rs 2 million which was just Rs 3,000 earlier.

This is very unjustifiable as normal bus operators cannot afford such a high amount," he said.