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| Sunday, 30 November 2003 |
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Private buses poised for islandwide strike by DEEPAL WARNAKULASURIYA The Southern Province Private Bus Investors' Federation on Saturday decided to continue with their strike until their ten demands are met by the authorities. Transport activities in the province have been at a standstill since Wednesday as SLCTB and the train services were unable to meet the commuter demands. The federation also threatened an islandwide strike by Monday if the authorities continue to ignore their demands. The National Transport Commission countered by threatening to cancel all route permits, if the buses are not on the roads by Monday. The Federation stopped all bus services operating within the province and inter-provincial services starting from the South on Thursday. By Friday, private bus owners in Kalutara, Aluthgama and several other cities joined the strike. A spokesman for the federation told the 'Sunday Observer' that the strike was caused by the failure of the government and the provincial council to implement certain recommendations aimed at solving the problems faced by private bus operators. He added that they had a discussion with Transport Minister Tilak Marapana and the Provincial Transport Minister on November 11 and formulated a set of recommendations including the lifting of the Value Added Tax for purchase of buses and to amend the NTC Act. "However, we did not receive a good response and hence we were compelled to resort to strike action", he added. National Transport Commission Chairman A.B. Thalagune described the strike as an unfair act and said that the NTC and Transport Minister had promised to solve their problems. "Even lifting the tax for purchase of new buses also could be considered, but it is a long process and therefore, we can't give them time frames to redress their woes. However, we'll be able to consider their other demands", he said. NTC Chairman also vowed that he would not hesitate to cancel the route permits of buses, unless they are on roads by Monday. All Island Omnibus Owners' Federation Chairman A. Ruban Silva said that NTC Chairman had no powers to cancel their route permits. He said that they would join the strike in the Western Province by Monday and extend it to the North Western (Wayamba) Province by Tuesday midnight. SLCTB officials said that extra buses had been deployed to provide a satisfactory service during the strike period. Meanwhile, Railways Authority Chairman P. H. Manatunga said that two extra trains had been deployed from Fort to Galle and Matara daily. He said that the 4.40 pm Aluthgama bound train from Fort would also ply to Galle during this period. |
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