The Hon. Rohitha Abeygunawardhana

¶ 01 Hon. Deputy Speaker, thank you. The “Clean Sri Lanka” initiative of President Anura Kumara Dissanayake is very good and important. We all want clean homes, cities, roads and offices. However, issues in implementation have caused much debate, particularly affecting private buses and three-wheelers. Remember, private bus owners and workers, and three-wheeler owners gave nearly 90% support to build this NPP Government.

¶ 02 If parts on buses violate regulations or pose danger, they must be removed. But if owners use items simply to keep their buses neat and passengers are happy, we should consider that too.

¶ 03 Private buses now provide the bulk of passenger transport; regulation is by Provincial Transport Authorities and the NTC. If there are issues, discuss with them first. For example, police stop a bus and order removal of the ladder to the roof rack, threatening to cancel route permits. Then you keep the rack but remove the ladder—how will goods be loaded? If you remove the ladder, people will climb with a rope—creating worse risks.

¶ 04 China-made luxury buses have internal luggage bays; Indian Ashok Leyland buses need roof racks. Without a ladder, how do you load? This creates public misunderstanding. If you go this way, why not remove the rack too?

¶ 05 I ask the Government: people change quickly. Do not assume permanence. I have been in Parliament 24 years—nothing is permanent; we are trustees, not owners. I saw a three-wheeler sticker earlier: “Let’s make the whole country a gear” with your party’s symbol. Many had it. Now I see new stickers: “Karmaya can arrive in many forms,” with your party’s symbol inserted in the phrase. I say this without anger. When we were in Opposition, you pointed out our mistakes; that is the role of the Opposition.

¶ 06 Do not take three-wheelers lightly. From morning, they speak to every passenger, shaping public opinion—which helped bring your Government. If they keep chanting grievances, public displeasure will grow.

¶ 07 Let’s also “clean” CTB buses first; when we alight, our clothes are dusty. Clean the railways. People in luxury cars throw garbage while looking around for CCTV. Deploy intelligence to such spots. And talk with Provincial Authorities before acting.

¶ 08 I earlier proposed: if owners add accessories, allow it under the Motor Traffic Act with a levy, collected annually—not only for buses and three-wheelers, but for V8s, Prados, Defenders with body kits. Otherwise, singling out small operators creates a public backlash. Do not give officials room to overreach under “Clean Sri Lanka.”

¶ 09 Three-wheeler owners are ordinary people who like to display symbols of their faith—Buddha images, crosses, deities. That is our culture. Enforcing laws insensitively there will have consequences.

¶ 10 On the rice issue: the Government tried to solve it by importing rice—a pessimistic decision—and yet consumers are still not satisfied. Please act with understanding: clean the country, but do not hammer entrepreneurs’ ears while doing so. Thank you.