PARLIAMENT

Transport Minister presents regulations under Motor Traffic Act

Sandasen MARASINGHE and Disna MUDALIGE

Deputy Speaker Chandima Weerakkody presided when Parliament met at 1.00 pm yesterday. After the presentation of papers and oral questions, the House took up the regulations under the Motor traffic Act for debate.

Transport Minister Kumara Welgama: I present the regulations under the Motor Traffic Act. Tenders had been called for the manufacturing of number plates of vehicles in 2009. The evaluation committee had received evaluations from three separate companies. One company had been selected under a series of criteria.

When we step on to the highway roads era the number plates that had been used earlier had not been suitable.

The new type of number plates which we have recommended, is more luminous in colour. What we need from the House is the approval of the new prices for the front and back number plates being used in vehicles.

We have been offering the new number plates since May 2010, to May 2011. So, we are ready to present the new series of vehicle number plates. I request the approval of the House for same.

S.R.P. Sooriyapperuma takes the Chair

Dayasiri Jayasekera (UNP): A Government MP made a controversial statement regarding Prabhakaran yesterday when most of the MPs, including me, was present in this House. So, what he should have done is to correct his mistake and not to rebuke the media. MPs cannot lie in this House. What was actually said had been recorded in the CD and I have it with me.

The Transport Ministry is in a crisis today. The Transport Minister is responsible for only 6,000 buses, whereas the rest of the 14,000 buses are owned by the Private Transport Company a first time in history.

Earlier it was the Transport Minister who handled tenders. Today a few private individuals dominate over the decisions, which is not good.

Transport Minister Kumara Welgama: MP Dayasiri said that presently the Minister had no power in bringing in regulations. I would like to stress that, it was I as Transport Minister, who brought these regulations to the House today. It was not during our Government, but it was during the Government of Ranil Wickremesinghe's era, that a few foreigners had the power to control the Government.

Environment Minister Anura Priyadarshana Yapa: Approval is being sought from the House to implement new prices regarding vehicle number plates. This was presented by the Motor Traffic Department.

In the modern era, the demand for vehicles are very high and the transport sector is rapidly developing. The demand for fossil fuel is very high in the world. But the world has only limited fossil fuel resources. Sri Lanka is also importing the fossil fuel needed to the country. However, we must not forget that the Petroleum Ministry is distributing fuel at a relief price and the Corporation is enduring a loss due to this relief price.

Not only for fuel, the present Government is granting relief to the public in numerous fields too. Fertilizer subsidy is one among such relief processes.

Today the world is more enthusiastic over hybrid vehicles or other vehicles with energy conservation methods. The use of environment friendly vehicles is on the increase. High tech vehicles do not emit harmful gasses which disrupts the environment.

We have also introduced vehicle emission tests in Sri Lanka, in order to control air pollution. I wish to extend this test to buses as well. Eventhough there is much criticism over this test, I must note that the tests were now being conducted successfully by correcting existing mistakes.

The world is now shifting towards green economies. What the world requests by means of various conventions and seminars is to shift back to the way of life in the past. In the past, people led sustainable lives. This was the requirement in the modern era too, while retaining the comforts of the modern world.

Anura Kumara Dissanayake (DNA): The cost of production of number plates per vehicle, according to the Minister is Rs 2,395. This amount is too high. I request the Minister to reconsider the tender offer. The front and rear number plates and the sticker could not amount to Rs. 2,395. The Ministry should look for another company that can offer quality number plates at a reduced cost than the present amount.

The total Uthuru Mithuru project has been divided into four sections, according to the Indian Government's agreement with the President.

Transport Minister Kumara Welgama: The Railways Department had taken nearly one year and nine months to extend the railway line to Omanthai. This was just 9 km. If the whole project had been retained by the Railway Department, another ten years would have been spent for the rest of the distance.

A H M Azwer takes the Chair

Construction, Engineering Services, Housing and Common Amenities Deputy Minister Lasantha Alagiyawanna: The Uthuru Mithuru project has been initiated after the dawn of peace, when Minister Alahapperuma was Transport Minister and I was the Deputy Transport Minister. I must say that the two of us are ready to shoulder the responsibility of the project. Certain facts had been presented by DNA MP Dissanayake which were misleading and incorrect.

'Uthuru Mithuru' was not just a railway line, but symbolises the unity among the Sinhala and Tamil communities. We opened a special bank account to receive public donations for this project and these funds were being used for the construction work effectively.

There had been no misuse of this money as denoted by MP Anura Dissanayake. We have acted with responsibility and transparency.

Therefore, both Minister Alahapperuma and I are ready to respond to these allegations at any time. We have never breached the faith that the people placed on us.

The revision of price of the number plates had been necessary to suit modern technology that is being used in the world, as well as in the country.

Gamini Jayawickrama Perera (UNP): 'The miracle of Asia' has been limited to be a miracle for a handful of people. The government had reduced the taxes on imported hybrid vehicles. But the government had not received the intended results from it.

The government had said that vehicles which would last for another ten years, had already been imported to the country. Thereafter, the government in its haste, had increased the taxes once again.

Sriyani Wijewickrama takes the chair

Janaka Wakkumbura (UPFA): The Motor Traffic Department had regularized the issue of number plates which were not up to standard. In the past, the public could use any type of number plate even those made of plastic. The Department had changed these irregularities so that anybody can identify the province which the vehicle belonged to.

Now all the number plates are issued by one institution, while they are equal in quality and layout.

A separate Minister for Private Transport has been appointed to look into the grievances of the private transport sector. It had been a progressive move.

Sujeewa Senasinghe (UNP): The number plates were introduced in 1999 for security reasons as pointed out by the government members.

The Government MPs are attempting to justify the price hike of number plates. These number plates can be made at a cost of about Rs 400-Rs 500. I request that I be allowed to see the low cost production of number plates in foreign countries. The government does not care about public grievances. It does not have a proper policy.

Sports Minister Mahindananda Aluthgamage: The then Transport Minister under the UNP during 2001-2002, was the one who attempted to sell the Sri Lanka Transport Board. Today you can talk of the Sri Lanka Transport Board, thanks to this Government which is led by President Mahinda Rajapaksa. President Mahinda Rajapaksa, Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa, Minister Basil Rajapaksa and MP Namal Rajapaksa are making an attempt to bring this country on to the proper track. But I clearly say who the dictator is? It is non other than Ranil Wickremesinghe. He does not allow anyone in your party to come forward.

During your regime, jeeps were imported to the police department but 75 percent of the jeeps broke down. Now I warn you not to criticize President Mahinda Rajapaksa. I say that even for another 20 years you would not be able to defeat President Mahinda Rajapaksa.

Today you all are suffering because you did not support the Government's attempt to defeat terrorism. But today there is another massive programme by the Government to make this country the 'Miracle of Asia'.

Eric Prasanna Weerawardena (UPFA): Now we have to introduce modern technology to vehicle number plates in our country, so that the police can detect law breakers easily.

Social Services Minister Feliex Perera: The investments made for the number plates are made only once. During the UNP regime, the Railways and the CTB were planned to be sold.

The Railway Department was initiated to transport goods. Thereafter it had been used to transport passengers. If we can use the trains to transport goods, while transporting passengers, we can reduce the traffic jam on roads.

If we strengthen the public transport system, specially the railway, we can reduce traffic jams on roads. It will be a relief to the people in the country.

Rohana Kumara (UPFA): As you know, there are vehicle number plates of various types. This is a problematic issue as we need to identify the vehicles. Even cameras set up in the Colombo city, cannot identify the numbers on vehicle number plates. So this move by the Government is appreciable.

As the per capita income has been increased today, once in every 20 minutes, a motorcar is being bought by people, while a three-wheeler is being bought once every 10 minutes.

Health Deputy Minister Lalith Dissanayake: Today our Government has remarkable leadership whereas the UNP lack them. President Mahinda Rajapaksa is steering this Government on the correct direction. But the UNP does not know who their leader is? They go before Courts to solve their own problems. When they cannot decide who their leader is, how could they rule a country?

Transport Deputy Minister Rohana Dissnayake: The JVP played their own old disks during this debate, without concentrating on the massive developments made in the transport sector in this country.

During the UNP regime 2001 to 2003, John Earl, a foreigner was the person who formulated plans to uplift the economy of the rural people and other sectors in the country.

He was an adviser to Ranil Wickremesinghe and was residing at Temple Trees. The UNP members have forgotten and are talking of a local vision today. But the people in this country have not forgotten them.

Today the transport sector is developing under the direction of the Transport Minister.

At adjournment

Economic Development Deputy Minister Lakshman Yapa Abeywardena: yesterday stated that the land at Galle Face had been sold to the Shangri-La Company at a rate of the government's estimate based on future economic value.

He also stated that the government had executed the sale in a transparent manner and the money had been remitted to the Treasury. The Deputy Minister also said that although opposition members spoke of this matter today, they had not made any protest in any other way against this move when it had been gazetted for months that the land was to be sold to the Shangri-La Company.

The Deputy Minister made this observation in response to the adjournment motion moved by UNP MP Ravi Kaurnanayake.

Ravi Karunanayake (UNP): I move the adjournment motion with regard to the government practice of selling land which belonged to the State. The UPFA government has promised that it would pursue a policy of nonprivatization and non selling of land to overseas parties without charging a 100 percent taxe. But it has been pursuing a policy to the contrary.

The government has been selling land which belonged to Army Headquarters to Shangri-La and Catic. We request the Minister to state where the money had been credited to and how much had been gained as taxes. Let the country know how many acres of land in Colombo were given to foreign companies.

Harsha De Silva (UNP): I second the motion. Shangri-La Hotel Directress during a keynote address at a conference which was held recently in Sri Lanka, had mentioned that they were to construct a hotel in Hambantota. What I expected her to say was that, the company would build a hotel on the land adjacent to the Galle Face. So I direct this to the attention of the Minister.

Economic Development Deputy Minister Lakshman Yapa Abeywardena: I would like to state that the selling of land to Shangri-La is not privatisation of state property. Shangri-La Company made a direct foreign investment in Sri Lanka. This is not the first project of this kind. This project was carried out with transparency and according to the laws of the country.

We mad the public aware of this project from the Gazette notification on April 5, 2011.

We also obtained Cabinet approval and Parliament approval for the project. We have nothing to hide about this project. After estimating the land, 10 acres were given to Shangri-La for a cost of USD 125 million, and then another 10 acres to AVIC Company for USD 136 million, considering the future business value of the land after the establishment of Shangri-La Hotel. The Government has been capable of ensuring higher profits for the country from this process. Now Shangri-La has been registered under the Sri Lanka Companies Act and named Shangri-La Hotel Lanka Company.

Under the first stage, six acres were given for USD 75 million to Shangri-La Company last December. The rest of four acres were given for USD 50 million in March, 2011. The details of these deals have been recorded in Finance Ministry reports.

The sole aim of the Economic Development Ministry was to strengthen the local economy and thereby upgrade the living standards of the people.

We have recognised the Tourism industry as the field which we could attain rapid development after the conclusion of the war. For that, we felt the urgent need to upgrade our tourism industry to suit modern requirements. Luxurious and high quality hotels were the need of the hour for the promotion of tourism. Shangri-La Company is a very powerful company which is connected to tourism. If Shangri La was constructing another hotel in Hambantota, we should be pleased over it.

Tourist arrivals had grown from 40 percent and Sri Lanka has the highest tourist arrivals growth.

Parliament was adjourned until 1 pm today.