PBOA rejects govt fare hike; threatens to strike on Monday

Saturday, 25 June 2011 01:11 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

The private bus operators in Sri Lanka have rejected the 7.6% bus fare hike announced by the government on Thursday.

The Chairman of Private Bus Owners’ Association (PBOA) Gemunu Wijeratna says that his organisation will not accept the bus fare hike proposed by the government.

Rejecting the 7.6% hike from 1 July, the PBOA said they would hold a token strike on 27 June as planned.

The Association demands a bus fare hike of 15% and the minimum fare to be raised to Rs. 8.

Meanwhile, the Chairman of the National Transport Commission Shashi Welgama said the government was ready to face any strike of the private bus owners. He pointed out that the other associations of bus owners have accepted the offered fare increase.

(www.colombopage.com)