The President of the Lanka Private Bus Owners Association, Gemunu Wijeratne, has responded to the statement made by Transport Minister Bimal Ratnayake that the law will be strictly enforced against drivers and conductors who work under the influence of drugs and that the road permits of bus owners who provide buses to such people will be revoked.
He states that the timekeepers on every route know very well who the drivers are who are under the influence of drugs and instead of taking action accordingly, the government should try to initiate a repressive program targeting bus owners. He says that it is not only private bus drivers who drive under the influence of drugs and questions why the SLTB drivers are not being tested.
He says that if the government continues to act in this manner, the bus owners are ready to show their power and if the buses are taken out of service for two or three days, the government will also be finished.
Expressing further views, he said:
”We have worked together for so long. The bus industry is running with great difficulty. We are telling the government not to wake up the sleeping tigers. We are ready to show the government the power of the bus owners. The minister is going to do something that will destroy the bus owners and the government.”