While the government is working on a homegrown devolution model, a powerful trade union has called for the abolition of the Provincial Councils (PCs). It is not our Rathu Sahodarayas or their allies averse to the 13th Amendment who want the PCs scrapped but the private bus owners.

Why are they against the PCs?

Chairman of the Lanka Private Bus Owners' Association (LPBOA) Gemunu Wijeratne is reported to have said that the PCs cannot even prepare time schedules for buses and, therefore, they must be done away with. A great many people would agree with him on the need to scrap the PC system, but for a different reason. The PCs have become a huge liability and massive drain on the public purse. Reduced to a mere appendage of the ruling party, they only serve the purpose of provincial politicians as a stepping stone for national politics.

However, it is not only the PCs that the people would like to have abolished. The private bus service––service?––has deteriorated to such a level over the years that many commuters may want it also scrapped if the government could augment the SLTB fleet. When the LPBOA faults the PCs for their inefficiency, it is a case of the pot calling the kettle black! If the PCs have not prepared timetables for buses, there is a serious lapse on their part and the Chief Ministers concerned have to take immediate action to remedy the situation, but the LPBOA worthies should realise that they are no better than the PCs in many respects.

Before condemning others for their inefficiency and lethargy, the LPBOA should put its house in order. Many of their buses are not roadworthy. Private bus crews are notorious for their callous disregard for commuters' rights. They have become a law unto themselves; they ride roughshod over the voiceless commuters with impunity. Not even the police dare deal with the errant bus drivers the way they should for fear of wild cat strikes.

Most private bus drivers consider the highway a race track, where they are free to race without giving two hoots about the other road users or crawl at a snail's pace causing congestion when they are not in a mighty hurry to overtake others. Most private buses have 'silencers' fitted with some gadgets which emanate an ear splitting noise. There are protests against noise pollution but private buses carry on regardless.

The LPBOA has announced a ban on begging and hawking in private buses. It is long overdue. However, the credit for this initiative should go to the Railway authorities who recently busted an organised beggars' racket and slapped a ban on begging in trains and railway stations. Four kinds of people make life miserable for private bus commuters––conductors, drivers, beggars and hawkers. The ban will solve only part of the problem. While keeping beggars and hawkers at bay, who are a real nuisance to the travelling public, it is imperative that the LPBOA ensure that bus crews behave and respect commuters' rights.