Private bus crew subject to extortion

Irangika Range

Transport Minister Kumara Welgama instructed Western Provincial Council Transport Minister Upali Kodikara to take action immediately to transfer 40 officials attached to the Western Province Road Passenger Transport Authority who were engaged in extorting money from the crew of long-distance private buses at the Bastian Mawatha private bus stand.

The Minister said that he received many complaints from bus owners regarding this extortion racket where these forty officials who worked as time-keepers deployed by the Western Province Road Passenger Transport Authority at the private bus stand in Bastian Mawatha had demanded Rs.500 from each crew member of long distance private buses.

Minister Welgama further said that he has received information that many extortion rackets of time-keepers has been going on island-wide.