| by Xinhua
( September 27,
2012, Colombo, Sri Lanka Guardian) Sri
Lanka is continuing discussions with China to purchase 3,000 new buses despite
protests by private bus operators in the country, a minister said on Thursday.
Minister of
Transport Kumar Welgama told Xinhua that discussions are continuing with
Chinese companies but a final decision has not yet been reached.
"We are
looking at purchasing these buses but we are still having discussions," the
minister said.
The Sri Lankan
government announced last week that it hoped to import buses from China to meet
the demand in the public transport sector.
However the
announcement was greeted with stiff opposition from the private transport
sector which threatened to strike if the government goes ahead with moves to
purchase 3,000 buses from China.
Welgama said the
state transport board has around 5,000 buses, of which some 3,500 are over 15
years old and need to be replaced.
As a result, he
said the government was looking at importing 3,000 buses from China as those
buses are also suitable for Sri Lankan road conditions.
President of the
Private Bus Association Gemunu Wijeyratne earlier threatened to launch a strike
if the government goes ahead with the deal, saying it will have an impact on
private bus operations in the country.
Wijeyratne
alleged that the move to purchase new buses is an attempt by the government to
gain control over passenger bus operations in the country.
Private bus
operators have a virtual monopoly over passenger bus operations in the country
as there are more private buses than state owned passenger buses.