The Hon. (Dr.) Ramanathan Archchuna

¶ 01 Hon. Presiding Member, Hon. Ravindra Bandara’s Private Member’s Motion on public transport is truly a good one. If you advance the country with such measures, we are ready to give 10,000% support. It was in that spirit that the people of Jaffna gave you three seats at the Parliamentary Election.

¶ 02 One point of history: Hon. Ravindra Bandara said the CTB began in 1958. However, in 1938, my late father, a Northern Tamil, established the Northern (Nagalingam) Omnibus Company with 160 buses—these were later acquired in forming the CTB in 1958. I wish to record this in the Hansard. With that history, we now have to ask the Transport Minister, Hon. Bimal Rathnayake, to repair buses in the North and East.

¶ 03 During the recent election, our district MP Hon. Ilankumaran led a clean-up of Jaffna bus stations—you may have seen it in the media. That is not development. The North welcomed you enthusiastically—we trusted you as “the Northern Government.” But nothing material happened. People in the North and East are now opposing the Government. Please be honest with the people: if you have funds, say so; if not, say so. I support this Motion wholeheartedly, but we have lost confidence due to inaction over the past seven months. Thank you.