Sri Lanka a private bus….
The elections are over and the result was as expected by anyone who looked at the situation objectively. Over the next few weeks there will be many theories and stories of conspiracies to fill our in boxes and the mobile companies will make a fortune on SMS stories. However people should take note of the comments made by the elections commissioner which should make all Sri Lankans think where this country is heading.
This brings to mind a story a great advertising man (Udaya Tennakoon) told me once when I was a pup in the industry. He compared this countries moral direction to the way our public transport has transformed over the years. In Her hay day the country had the Ceylon Transport Board (CTB) which had clean buses, uniformed drivers and conductors which the commuters used. When passengers got in the conductor rang the bell for the bus to pull out of the station once they were seated and he would come up to them and take the money and give a ticket. Separate seats were marked for clergy, a pregnant lady or senior citizen would never be standing and yes it was the best transport service in Asia during that time.
Then in the late 70′s came the private coach (now the famed private bus). People are worth as little as the money they spend for a ticket or less. All of them race from bus halt to bus halt, people are flung in and out similar to chicken taken to a slaughter and mutual respect is not a thing which you experience in these chariots from hell. Yes it sums up what our country is at the present. They have the upper hand with the law as many of them are owned by politicians or someone connected to the police. They don’t respect any other vehicle or human being. You frequently witness people hanging for dear life on the foot board and the isles which can accommodate 10 people packed with 100! And let’s not even fathom the plight of a young girl standing in the midst of the crowded bus.
So what is next? All who hoped for a country without corruption and nepotism got a 57.88% slap in their faces. As I mentioned in my previous post of the obvious result to which some accused of me being bias, this is the sad truth about our country. We middle class citizens who hope for a fair life in this country are a minority whose vote cannot influence an election. The only way we will have a say in this country is when we all realize that we are a minority who needs representation in parliament. We need to pick a leader who will represent our needs like the Muslims have done with Muslim Congress, the estate workers with Ceylon Workers Congress and the Tamil people in the North and the East with the TNA.
This party will demand rights before pledging support to any party who wants the support of the middle working class. Only then will we be able to make a change in this country as politicians will need our support to be elected. This party will have educated people heading it which will ask for parliamentary seats that will impact the members. This party will be able to set policies for the betterment of middle class citizens such as tax, education etc. This will also be the party which will cut across races and religions. It is time that we all realized that the hope of a Messiah to free the country will never be a reality and work towards a true dream of controlling the nation that all of us help to fund from our hard earned money which is taxed. We have six years to do so and we can truly hope for a change from the private bus!
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Well…the PEOPLE SPOKE, in unprecedented numbers, BUT there is credible doubt whether THEIR MANDATE was permitted to be expressed FREELY & FAIRLY? There is MUCH that needs to be said, BUT our “voices” must be restrained due to a multitude of reasons; both personal & public.
So, as a mark of respect for THE PEOPLE & as an expression of MY PERSONAL DISMAY of the status quo as it exists now; I’ve decided to withdraw from all socio-political discourses (including civil society initiatives, pro bono work, actions against state abuse etc) UNTIL when (and IF) I regain my lost faith from this abyss of HOPELESSNESS …
May GOD BLESS my country & its PEOPLE!!!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ODM_TsQ8N9U
CW
Sudden Overtake,
This incident regularly happen throughout the Colombo. But I thik now it toooo much and very dangerous. This incident happened to me today morning (saturday) in front of the Devibalika School colour lights. One private bus (viking) route no 176 was left side of my car in front of the bus there was another car. Just with the green light on all of us came forward and suddenly the private bus turn to my lane and tried to over take the car in front of the bus. So in slightly my car was safe.
I think this private bus mother f@#%$s should educated to well drive otherwise next time we have to teach them dam good lesson. Police people never ever punish them since they are taking bribe from them. In the evening they going to private bus owner’s house and ask money may be drinks.I have seen this several times at my friends place who is private bus owner.
Mother f^&#^$g Gemunu Wijesooriya you should act on this type of f@%#$ driving rather than trying to increase the bus fare. If you guys can not take action we have as civilian have to teach them law. Or that result could be worse ever may have to kill couple of bus drivers. then Who will be that first bus driver to gonna be die??????????????