Comments made on strike action over fines for traffic offences
Here are some comments made on the strike action which took place in the recent days, against the proposed increase in fines for traffic offences.
Minister of Plantation Industries Navin Dissanayake said, around 50 to 60 deaths are reported daily, and as a result the government of good governance stood up to it and increased the fine to Rs. 25,000 to minimise the road accidents, however people demonstrated against it.
“We have requested the president and the prime minister to reach a decision in the cabinet and our stance will not change”, he said. “What we require is to protect the innocent people in this country who have been battered”, he added.
Minister of Rural Economic Affairs P. Harrison said that the number of deaths caused due to motor accidents exceeds the number killed during the war. And that last year alone the police filed 50,000 cases for driving under the influence, and in addition another 49,000 cases were filed for driving without a valid licence.
He added, “These fines are for the betterment of the people and not for the government. Is this wrong?”.
UNP MP Nalin Bandara Jayamaha said there were protests across the country against the increase in traffic fines.
“However, have we spoken on the families that have been left helpless because of the drunk drivers”, he said, “We never speak of the dark side”.
The Deputy Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation Ashoka Abeysinghe also said that when the strike action was launched, he informed them that for it to be enforced it needs to go through amendments. And thereafter it needs to be directed to the Attorney General and then passed in Parliament, which will take about six months and that the fines of excessive speed, over-taking from the left will be reviewed. However, that will also take another six months to a year to be enforced, he said.
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