All party consensus for SLTB

by Jayantha Sri Nissanka and Ranil Wijayapala

The Sri Lanka Transport Board (SLTB) Bill was passed in Parliament yesterday with the consensus of all major political parties except the Tamil National Alliance.

The Bill, which aims to resuscitate the state bus transport sector, became law yesterday after it was passed at the Third Reading in Parliament after the UNP and the JVP proposed amendments to the Bill to ensure the rights of workers.

The Bill was debated for two days before being passed.

The Government incorporated all the amendments moved by the UNP and the JVP to pass the Bill with the consensus of all major political parties to uplift the State bus service for the benefit of the masses.

The TNA opposed the Bill at the second reading after Mawai Senathiraja called a division. However, the Bill was passed at the second reading with 123 votes for and eight against. Only the TNA MPs voted against the Bill.

The TNA's opposition to the Bill was based on the idea of centralising Government institutions rather than adopting the method of decentralising government institutions in view of solving the ethnic crisis in the country.

Winding up the two days' debate on the Sri Lanka Transport Board Bill, Deputy Transport Minister Lasantha Alagiyawanna said that Government will add 3,500 buses to the present fleet of 3,000 buses by the end of this year to increase the Government share in the bus transport sector.

The 3,500 buses will include 2,000 brand new buses and another 1,500 buses to repaired under Government assistance.

The Minister also added that the Government will ensure the rights of workers at Cluster Bus Companies when establishing the Sri Lanka Transport Board by bringing regulations to Parliament ensuring their rights.

Earlier the Deputy Minister also said one of the objective in establishing the SLTB was to face unfair strikes launched by private bus operators.He also thanked President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga for bringing this historic piece of legislation to re-establish the Sri Lanka Transport Board which was established by her father and former Prime Minister S.W.R.D. Bandaranaike after the nationalisation of bus companies in 1956.