LPBOA says losing Rs. 200 mn as extortion payments monthly

We are forced to fork out Rs.200 million monthly to persons collecting extortion money from private buses, Lanka Private Bus Owners’ Association (LPBOA) said.

Speaking to the media yesterday LPBOA Chairman Gemunu Wijeratne said amounts ranging from Rs.200, Rs.500 and sometimes even Rs.1000 are being demanded from racketeers who line the side of the roads on routes taken by their buses making it difficult for them to make a profit as a result.

“There seems to be a political hand at play in this deplorable exercise but no one seems to have a solution or is making an effort to put a stop to this form of daylight robbery that is taking place,” he complained.

We have complained on many occasions to former Transport Minister Nimal Siripala de Silva in this regard but he hasn’t taken any action to end this practice, Mr. Wijeratne said, adding that the government had done nothing for the betterment of the transport service in the country to date.