Sports Ministry driver drugged?

Saturday, 18 March 2017 00:00 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

On 16 March at about 11 a.m. while driving down Sir Marcus Fernando Mawatha towards the Public Library roundabout, I paused for a few minutes to allow the traffic coming from the Art Gallery direction to pass (they are obviously on my right hand side and have the right of way).

Suddenly I heard loud non-stop horning from behind me. Looking at the rear view mirror I saw a big white four wheel-drive behind me. The guy continued to horn and also flash his light impatiently. I had no choice but allow the vehicles from my right side to proceed as they were entitled to.

When that line cleared the big vehicle overtook me on my left and continued to drive in the rudest manner, cutting across the vehicles before him while horning nonstop.

I noted written on the vehicle the words ‘Anti-Doping Unit – Sports Ministry’. In the heavy traffic it was difficult to be certain of the registration number, but I believe that it began with LW and perhaps ended with 53. The Minister and the officials can easily find out if such a vehicle belongs to their fleet. Maybe checking the movement cards of the vehicles can also help. It is a shame that a respected ministry and a unit which is set up to fight the doping menace in sports is given a black name by drivers such as this. The way he was driving it could well be that it is the drivers of this unit who should be checked for drugs and not the athletes! They are driving vehicles bought with our money and paid a salary with our money. Asking for discipline and civility from such drivers is not surely asking for too much.

Ravi Perera