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No changes to Rs. 25,000 fine for traffic offenses

The Cabinet spokesman and Minister Rajitha Senaratne today reiterated that there would be no changes on the proposed fine of Rs.25,000 for seven traffic offenses.

While speaking to the media at the weekly Cabinet press briefing at the parliament complex, Minister Senaratne said even the government’s decision was also the same and there would not be any rollback of the proposed fine.

“We will never give permission for drivers to kill people. Since the date the decision was taken there is a slight decrement of road accidents. I think the accidents would be less if the law was implemented,” he added.

“The proposals were made to take legal actions for overtaking from the left side, speeding and to place speed limits. First of all, decisions should be taken on implementing the legal situation of overtaking from the left side and speeding,” he said.

He said the President had not said anything on changes to proposed the imposed fine of Rs.25,000 for seven traffic offenses during the discussion with the Bus Owners’ Associations held at the parliament complex on Saturday (3).

He said it was fair to impose a reasonable fine for overtaking from the left side and speeding but there would be no relief for the other five offenses. He had also requested the government to take legal actions strictly against persons who damaged the Sri Lanka Transport Buses (SLTB) during the private bus strike.

“128 SLTB buses were damaged during the strike and the police should have arrested 128 people who were held responsible for them. But the police could not arrest that much of people. The police have no connection with the people in those areas. In that case there is no use of the police,” he said.

He said most of the bus strikers were the ones who had worked according to a certain political agenda and added that most of the members of the bus associations were used to take part in poster campaigns during the previous elections under their names.