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| Thursday, 25 November 2004 |
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by Rajmi Manatunga Transport Minister Felix Perera said yesterday the Government will not privatise any mode of passenger transport but, will continue them strictly as services to the people. The Minister addressing a ceremony to add 100 school buses to the present bus fleet of the Central Transport Board (CTB) to mark President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga's completion of 10 years in office, said "Over 70 per cent of Sri Lanka's population are commuters of the passenger transport services which comprise 17,000 private buses, 4,000 CTB buses and 58 trains. Therefore, any change in this area will have a great impact on the economy of the entire country." At the ceremony, 100 buses repaired by employees of Gampaha, Kalutara, Sabaragamuwa and Metro Bus Companies of the CTB were handed over to CTB depots islandwide to be used for the transport of school children. "The employees attached to the Nidahas Pravahana Sevaka Sangamaya donated one day's pay of their monthly salaries to repair these buses which is a highly commendable act. It is through such collective efforts that we can improve the state transport sector," the Minister said. "There should be no state or private monopoly in passenger transport. Our goal is to bring the CTB on par with the private bus service and thus create competition," he said adding that he was not ready to give into threats by private bus operators in this task. CTB Chairman I.S Jayaratne said the operational fleet of the CTB has increased from 3,200 to 4,230 buses since the UPFA Government came into power. "According to the present timetables, we need 7,000 buses for operations. We will take immediate steps to address this shortage of buses," he said. Power and Energy Deputy Minister Kumara Welgama, Western Province Governor Alavi Mowlana, Western Province Minister Hector Bethmage, Provincial Councillor Nauzar Fowzie and CTB Deputy Chairman Nihal Perera were present. |
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