Sri Lanka It's Happening

August 9, 2005

Private bus operators are on strike. Hopefully the government will not give into their demands, resulting in the bus strike will continuing indefinitely. Driving in Colombo during the daytime today was a pleasent experience for a change thanks to the buses being off the streets.

The bus operators are protesting against the increase in traffic fines announced recently. On the surface their protests are justified. Not many drivers can afford to pay the Rs 1000 fine that will be slapped on them if they drive at 73 Kilo Meters an hour.

Bus drivers though are a breed apart, they keep only one hand on the wheel. The other is in the till they can certainly afford to pay the fines, if they ever are stopped by cops. Cops don't usually care about the traffic violations by bus drivers (they certainly are the worse offenders). Either because the bus owners and drivers are part of the mafia or the buses are owned by other cops or politians.

The drivers and conductors usually end up becoming bus owners, thanks to the money that the scalp off the days collection. This as a kind of Robin Hood act because bus owners bought their own buses using ill gotten gains. And they don't pay a cent in taxes.

The leader of the bus operators union yesterday appeared on TV and claimed that container drivers and three wheeler drivers will join in the strike. Sri Lankan are notorius double crossers. Most Three wheeler drivers didn't stick to their word. Why should they? they make a killing (Killing as in making lots of money and running over people) when buses are off the streets.

Posted by raditha at August 9, 2005 7:54 AM