SLTB Chairman won’t heed Transport Minister’s demand to quit

By Ifham Nizam

Sri Lanka Transport Board (SLTB) Chairman Kingsley Ranawaka has declined to heed Transport Minister Bandula Gunawardena’s demand to quit immediately.

Ranawaka said so when The Island asked him whether he would resign as demanded by the Minister.

Minister Gunawardena earlier this week asked Ranawaka to resign after the SLTB halted the special bus service between Multi Model Centre, at Makumbura, and Colombo.

Gunawardena said that public and private sector workers, who reached Makumbura in their own vehicles, used the special bus service to reach their destinations. The Minister said that the decision to suspend this service inconvinienced them.

Ranawaka said the SLTB Board of Management had stopped this bus service as the SLTB suffered losses amounting to Rs. 8.5 million within three months.

The SLTB Chief told The Island that he would explain to the Transport and Highways Minister Gunawardena his position. He said it was a collective decision.

Gunawardena earlier demanded an explanation why the SLTB stopped the city bus service without informing him.