Transport Minister tells employees:

Help make SLTB a profitable institution

Suraj A Bandara

Sri Lanka Transport Board (SLTB) employees together with the administration have to work hard to make the SLTB to a profitable institution, Transport Minister Kumara Welgama said.

“Over 35,000 employees work at the SLTB. During this short period, we took measures to pay arrears and bonuses to all employees up to 2008. If the employees strive to increase the SLTB income, they will benefit,” he said.

He was addressing a function organized by Rathmalana depot employees to add 21 buses which were repaired, to the operational fleet last week.

The Transport Ministry land will not be alienated to any individual. Transport Ministry land alienated to others illegally will also be acquired, Welgama said.

The Minister said SLTB was a resourceful institute with a lot of factories, land and properties in the past.

“Due to personal agendas of SLTB officials who worked according to their whims and fancies, SLTB property have been alienated to outsiders. The land at the Mount Lavinia trade complex was also lost owing to these officials,” he said. Legal provisions will be explored to seek the possibility of regaining that plot of land, Minister Welgama added.

Welgama praised the service rendered by employees, in particular, the technicians of the Rathmalana depot who repaired 21 buses that were not in a proper state into operational level.

The Minister said SLTB spent only Rs7.5 million to repair all these buses.

“If we purchased new buses we would have to spend at least Rs 3.7 million for a bus. The SLTB was able to save a huge amount without spending for unnecessary work,” he said.Rathmalana depot needs 110 buses whereas the present fleet provides only 81 buses. The rest of buses will be provided soon , the Minister said.