MPs want free rides
By Nalaka Nonis
Despite orders by the Prime Minister that MPs should not demand state buses free of charge, some government MPs have reportedly asked for free buses to transport their supporters for tomorrow's 'Janabala Meheyuma' in Colombo.

A senior transport board official told The Sunday Times that as many as 2,500 buses had been booked by MPs but only 208 had paid money while some were trying to get free rides.

He said the number of buses booked was more than half the entire fleet of the Transport Board. The government had reportedly given a directive for the SLCTB to charge a nominal fee but some MPs were asking for everything free, he said. The Sunday Times learns that the Prime Minister's directive comes after allegations that during the previous government SLFP politicians had obtained state buses free of charge for party conventions.

State Transport Minister Upali Piyasoma said he had directed the Transport Board that it should not release buses free for any purpose. In addition to 2,500 state buses, many private buses have also been booked for tomorrow's demonstration and thus public transport is likely to be in one hell of a mess.

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