Minimal inconvenience to public while enabling security measures - Letter

After the recent explosions in and around Colombo the security forces will be compelled to start road-blocks and checking movement of vehicles and persons in and out of major cities.

Instead of closing roads and creating massive traffic jams the following procedure could be adapted to cause the minimum inconvenience to public as well as enable the security forces and police to carry out a thorough check of vehicles and passengers.

On all approach roads, sudden checkpoints could be started throughout the country at the same time without obstruction to traffic flows as well as prevent inconvenience to public by checking all motor cycles, riders at one point, three wheelers and passengers at another point within aproximately 50 metres of the first, motor cars and passengers at a point about 50 metres from the second, vans and passengers, another point for buses and another for trucks and other types. By this method a total collapse of the transport system and movement could be avoided, thereby preventing loss of productive time as well as prevent the public and other road users cursing the system, government, security forces and police. Police could check the Drivers Licence, Registration, Insurance. Security forces could check the NIC and inside the vehicle for the transport of unlawful or harmful substances.

This exercise should be done jointly by the armed forces together with the police in order to apprehend and detain suspects immediately. This type of check was carried out at the re-entry on High Level road and did not cause any inconvenience or a massive traffic jam. Public cooperation was very high.

Tissa Jayaweera, Chairman, International, Chamber of Commerce