The Hon. R.G. Wijerathna

¶ 01 Hon. Presiding Member, today should be a day of relief for Sri Lankans who have suffered over 30 years of inadequate public transport. Daily, more than 5 million people—over 1.2 million in the public sector and about 4 million in the private sector—depend on public transport, enduring immense hardship before clocking in. This Amendment empowers us to craft a national policy, issue new regulations, strengthen oversight, and introduce a new code of conduct for the sector—long overdue.

¶ 02 Many SLTB depots are inefficient due to politicization and mismanagement. For example, in our Bhahaguranketha depot there are only about 35 buses for over 160 staff to cover roughly 5,000 km daily; service needs are unmet. In remote areas, students walk kilometers to school and patients struggle to reach hospitals because public services are not available.

¶ 03 We have launched a programme to modernize 50 bus stands nationwide this year, with another 50 next year, after obtaining deficiency reports from local authorities. To move forward, mindsets must change. Unchecked competition in the private sector undermines genuine public service. This Bill enables clear regulation, including legal action and fines where necessary, so we can build a successful, modern transport system—where, for example, fare systems align with distance traveled, as in developed countries.

¶ 04 Vehicle registrations are rising—over 73,000 newly registered in recent months—and vehicle imports yielded Rs. 132 billion in tax in the first five months. As more vehicles join the roads, we must expand and upgrade road infrastructure and improve the quality of public transport vehicles. Accordingly, about Rs. 430 billion has been allocated to the Highways Ministry this year for national highway rehabilitation, with strong assurance that funds will reach the ground without corruption.

¶ 05 Through this Amendment, we can realize the transport goals in our policy vision “A Prosperous Country – A Beautiful Life.” I call on all to join hands to build that future. Thank you.