President Maithripala Sirisena has appointed a six-member committee to look into revision of traffic fines and other issues faced by private bus operators bringing the strike by several transport unions against the new traffic fine to an end.
Following the meeting with several representatives of private bus unions at the President’s official residence yesterday, President Sirisena appointed the committee which will meet with private bus operators tomorrow according to a release issued by the President’s Media Division.
The committee comprises Secretary to the Ministry of Transport Nihal Somaweera, Secretary to the Ministry of Finance Dr. R.H.S Samaratunga, Senior DIG for Traffic, Administration and Road Safety Nandana Munasinghe along with a nominated senior official from the Attorney General’s Department, Department of Motor Traffic and an Additional Secretary to the President.
Making the appointments, the President said that no party will have to face any injustice. ¨The New government takes every decision for the betterment of the general public¨ he said, adding that it is the government’s policy to act responsibly with regard to every sector. ¨Discussions can find solutions to every problem and the government is prepared to do so,¨ the President said.
However, speaking to the Sunday Observer General Secretary of the All Ceylon Private Bus Association, Anjana Priyanjith said the unions have not been informed of a meeting with the committee yet.
¨We are however hoping to meeting will take place within the next few days,¨ he said adding that the union hopes to discuss new traffic fines and the future of public transport in the country with the appointed committee. Till that time the fate of the budget proposal to increase existing traffic fines remain uncertain. According to Priyanjith, the President has promised the unions to only revise traffic fines after discussions with them.