Buses made 16,295 trips for MR's propaganda rallies:

SLCTB struggling to recover dues

by Jaliya Wijeyekoon

The Sri Lanka Central Transport Board (SLCTB) had incurred a huge loss at the UPFA election campaign providing buses from time to time during the run-up to the election to transport party supporters to various parts of the island. It has been enumerated that 16,295 trips were made by the UPFA during the election period and the amount payable to SLCTB by the party is Rs. 192 million.

An SLCTB spokesman said that buses were provided with the understanding of getting the full payment within two weeks. These buses were provided by the SLCTB Head office of Narahenpita and Regional Offices scattered all over the island. There had been occasions where the buses were provided by the Jaffna Depot to transport party supporters to the Batticaloa area which is a very long distance.

Similarly, buses were supplied by almost every depot in the island on the requests by the provincial politicians of the UPFA. SLFP Trade union members in the depots were instrumental in releasing the buses on the requests by area politicians.

The Chairman of the SLCTB Prasanna Jayamanne said that following repeated requests and reminders, the SLFP made a part payment of Rs. 50 million recently and they have issued notice to obtain the balance payment soon.

Asked what action would be taken unless they settle the remaining payment within the stipulated period, Jayamanne said that they would be compelled to initiate legal action against the SLFP. He said that they would hand over the matter to CID for further investigations.

A Trade Union leader of the JSS P.G. Dharmabandu said that it had been the practice of the ruling party to obtain buses from the SLCTB to transport their party members at election times for their propaganda rallies. But the United National Party had always discussed with the SLCTB authorities, made due payments and got its service. But at the last Presidential election UPFA politicians forcibly obtained buses from all depots in the island inconveniencing regular commuters. The Union activist said that on a number of occasions they were compelled to cancel vital regular services as the provincial politicians virtually threatened them to release the buses for propaganda rallies where President Mahinda Rajapaksa was scheduled to address.

JSS Trade union Leader Dharmabandu said that the last election period would go down in SLCTB history as the darkest period where buses were used as toys of provincial politicians and their henchmen paying scant respect to the public needs.

Sunday Observer contacted the General Secretary of the UPFA Susil Premajayantha to ascertain the validity of the claim levelled against them by the SLCTB.

Susil Premajayantha said the SLCTB buses were arranged through the organising committee of the UPFA Election campaign and it was not possible for him to say anything about the payments involved. Sunday Observer's attempt to contact committee members proved futile.

Chief Operations Superintendent of SLCTB Mr. Kiriwattuduwa said that it had been the practice of both parties in the past to ask for buses during the election period to transport their party supporters for rallies. This was not the first occasion that they failed to pay the fares. We had to go behind them to recover our dues.

But this is the first time that such a colossal amount of money is due to us and it is quite doubtful whether we could recover it in full. We have furnished a detailed and comprehensive report and ministerial decision would be taken to initiate legal action against them. The SLCTB is already running at a loss due to innumerable corrupt activities and a huge financial loss of this magnitude would definitely lead the institute to a grinding halt.

There is another non-party organisation set up at the SLCTB as Sri Langamaya Surakeeme Sanvidanaya. The activists of this organisation who opted to remain anonymous were very vociferous not only over this particular financial loss but over a number of corrupt deals taking place at the SLCTB. They said that the SLCTB could be turned into a profit-making organisation within a few months provided the deep-rooted corruption in all operational areas is completely eliminated.

They said that the mass scale corruption is reported from the purchase of new buses from India right down to the use of lubricants. Purchasing spare parts and tyres had become a lucrative business for the officials involved in those transactions. It is shocking and surprising to see that during the previous regime that the payment cheques to outside, suppliers were drawn in favour of Chairman and the Chairman in turn issued cheques to the suppliers from his account.

We have submitted a detailed report with all facts and figures to Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe with a copy to Transport Minister Ranjith Madduma Bandara on January 27 and waiting impatiently to see what disciplinary action would be taken against those corrupt officials.