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Laudable move on transport

The harried and harassed bus commuters of this country up against another bus fare hike, are certain to have welcomed the news that some 2000 more buses would be added to our public sector bus fleet by the end of the year.

In view of the periodic rises in bus fares, engineered mainly by the private bus sector unions, it was sound thinking on the part of President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga and Transport Minister Felix Perera to provide for this expansion in the fleet of State-run buses.

This is indeed encouraging. We hope this measure would lead to decreased dependence on the part of our commuters on the privately-operated bus system.

Thus far it has been a question of private bus operators holding governments and the public to ransom through their Shylock-style avarice for a few rupees more. We hope this equation would change with the expansion of our public sector bus fleet. Right now, 70 percent of the buses on our roads is privately-run.

This state of affairs must change, through an increasing presence of State-run buses, for, the people need to be served on a priority basis and this wouldn't happen easily until the State takes things in hand.

When the private bus sector was brought into being in the mid-seventies, the aim apparently of the then authorities was to bolster the public transport system rather than to barter it away to private interests.

However, with time we had a situation of the tail wagging the dog and not its reverse. Private bus operators were allowed to gain a stranglehold over the system and to dictate terms to the State and the people.

Successive governments looked on impassively - perhaps by design - as the private bus sector got itself steeply entrenched in the public transport system. This, of course enabled private bus unions to call the shots in deliberations on bus fare structures.

We warmly applaud efforts by the present Government to revert to the former status-quo as regards bus transport, by increasing the public sector bus fleet and to that degree, relaxing the control that private bus operators and their unions are currently exercising over the system.

The ardent of advocates of the laissez faire system in this country perhaps do not realise that even in the bastions of capitalism in the West, the State never entirely renounces control over public services, such as public transport, health and education.

In fact these sectors continue to be State-run and controlled, essentially. Now here are the "Robber Barons" welcomed with open arms and allowed to encroach on public services with no questions asked. Even if they are welcomed in, they are closely monitored by the State and made to serve the public as scrupulously as possible.

We hope the tables would be turned in the days ahead in the public transport sector. The State must come in a bigger way and ensure that the people are served.

World Habitat Day

Housing is a major problem in both developing and developed countries. Every Government considers providing shelter for the homeless as a priority. As the world population rises exponentially, fulfilling housing needs is becoming an increasingly complex endeavour.

The first Monday of every October is designated 'World Habitat Day' in order to reflect on the state of human settlements and the basic right of adequate shelter for all.

The bulk of the population in many developing countries live in rural areas, which hardly get any attention in the race for development. This gives rise to a vast gap between the city and the village. Cities are generally prosperous, while the villages struggle to cope with the pace of progress.

This year's Habitat Day theme takes into account the synergy between the two. Cities can actually propel development in rural areas.

The theme 'Cities - Engines of Rural Development' appropriately conveys the importance of having dynamic links between urban and rural areas. The theme underlines the economic, social and environmental inter-dependence between the two.

For example, agriculture in the provinces would not thrive without a good market in the cities. All transport links also radiate from the big cities. A good transport infrastructure is essential for the rural economy - it gives farmers better access to markets. As the United Nations points out, cities are magnets for rural trade. Cities also have jobs that attract rural people.

On the other hand, uninhibited migration from rural to urban areas has posed several problems. Many rural dwellers, especially from the younger generation, come to the cities in search of better jobs.

However, cities cannot perpetually absorb migrants. This in turn leads to housing, employment and hygiene problems. Rural areas also suffer when youths give up agriculture and other traditional vocations for seemingly more lucrative jobs in the city.

It is therefore essential to strike a balance between the interests of urban and rural dwellers. The authorities must rise to the challenge of developing rural areas to the point where the inhabitants see no reason for migrating to the 'concrete jungle'.

If rural areas have good schools, hospitals, regional markets, infrastructure (electricity, telecommunications, roads) and housing, there will be little incentive for leaving them. A vibrant rural economy also generates employment. This is why Governments must pursue policies that consider urban and rural areas as one.

They are not separate entities, but two components of a economic and social union. Central and provincial authorities should coordinate their development strategies to ensure a better future for both urban and rural dwellers.

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