Caving Into Private Bus & Trishaw Drivers – A Nation On The Brink Of Anarchy?
By Rajeewa Jayaweera –December 11, 2016
Rajeewa Jayaweera
In 2015, this writer wrote a piece titled ‘Election Bribes, Budget Reversals and Trade Unions’. It dealt with the threat of a ‘general strike’ called by Trade Unions who opposed certain budgetary proposals. The government caved in, objectionable budgetary proposals withdrawn and a general strike was averted. This writer argued ‘Prime Minister Wickremesinghe accommodating the demands of unions could be interpreted as a sign of weakness and encourage strike action for unjustifiable reasons in the future’. During the ensuing one year, what was cautioned has come to pass on several occasions.
On Friday, December 2, the whole nation was in shut down mode due to Private Bus & Trishaw drivers staying away from work. There was no threat of a general strike. However, the government, on the previous day had given GMOA members a firm assurance their Disturbance, Availability and Transport (DAT) allowance would be increased after doctors stopped work on Wednesday, November 30. Due to the assurance, the possibility of strike action by both groups at the same time was averted. Railway employees too who were threatening strike action based on their own set of demands called off the strike after a discussion with the President indicating they would have won, if not all, at least most of their demands.
The fall out as a result of the Private Bus & Trishaw Drivers strike action was numerous. Some school examinations in countrywide universities had to be postponed due to low attendance of students owing to the bus strike. Examinations scheduled for Friday at Sri Lanka Law College were postponed till next Wednesday. Twelve SLTB buses countrywide had been attacked with stones and some state drivers injured by the striking miscreants. Protest marches by striking Trishaw drivers caused chaos on the roads in Colombo. The Colombo-Negombo road as well as the railway line at the Galkanda area in Negombo were blocked resulting transportation coming to a standstill. Disruption of daily life was severe.
Usually, Private Bus & Trishaw Drivers unions stop work to protest against government action such as increase in diesel charges, taxes and rejection of their demands to increase bus and trishaw fares. However, on this occasion their reasons to stop work were quite unusual. They were demanding the cancellation of the proposed increase of the minimum fine to Rs. 25,000 for seven offences.
To debate if enhanced fines should have originated through budget proposal as a means of increasing state revenue or the amendment of the Traffic Ordinance is not important and irrelevant to the issue. Either way, it is a government decision.
What is important is the government of the day feels the need to sit and negotiate with a group of persons, on certain issues which in civilized countries and societies are non- negotiable. The government’s willingness to negotiate reducing the fines from proposed levels to lower levels is a clear sign of caving into demands of the most extreme nature.
Let us examine the seven contentious offences; driving without a valid driving license, driving without an insurance certificate, overtaking on the left-hand side, high speed driving, driving under the influence of alcohol, driving recklessly at railway crossings and allowing someone to drive without a valid driving license.
It must be pointed out at the outset, there is much for us to learn from western countries where motor vehicles, motor and high ways, highway codes, right of way etc. originated, never mind us Sri Lankans having had irrigation and hydraulic systems when those in western countries were running around in grass skirts as claimed by some local patriots. In those countries, the said seven offences are not acceptable and penalties for offences non-negotiable. Unlike in our Shangri-La, prosecution of offenders is swift.
