Monday 3rd June, 2024

The government says that inflation has decreased significantly, but the cost of living remains unbearably high. How has this anomalous situation come about? It has been attributed to ‘greedflation’ or the exploitation of inflation to make excessive profits. Politicians doubtlessly deserve all the bashing they receive, but they are not alone in causing so much suffering to the public; the blame for this sorry state of affairs should be apportioned to the business community, which never misses an opportunity to get on its moral high horse and treat governments to lectures on good governance. This fact has been borne out by the private bus operators’ refusal to consider a request for fare reductions proportionate to the diesel price decreases during the past two months.

The price of regular diesel has decreased by Rs. 46 since April, but private bus operators are refusing to make a downward fare revision. They put forth absurd arguments in support of their exploitative practice; they say they will consider reducing bus fares only if the diesel price decreases by 4%. It does not make sense to reduce diesel prices unless benefits accrue to the public therefrom.

If the government is genuinely interested in easing the economic burden it has placed on the public, it ought to bring in new laws and regulations to ensure downward bus fare revisions proportionate to decreases in diesel prices regardless of the percentages thereof. The same should apply to trishaws and school transport vehicles. First of all, the government must ensure that the state-owned bus service reduces its fares in keeping with the diesel price decreases.

Fuel price revisions are not carried out in a fair and transparent manner, according to the Opposition. Both the SJB and the JVP/NPP claim to have economic councils consisting of mavens capable of turning the ailing economy around in next to no time, if given an opportunity. So, why can’t they work out fuel prices every month by using the pricing formula in place so that the government cannot play tricks on the public?

Are the private bus operators above the law? The government, which readily slaps massive tax and tariff increases on the public, baulks at taming the private bus mudalalis! Is this due to a vested interest on the part of the government, some of whose members are bus owners themselves? Do the ruling party politicians benefit from the largesse of bus operators, as alleged in some quarters? Or, is the government scared of the private bus owners, who resort to strikes at the drop of a hat?

The growing impotence of the state owing to the pusillanimity of governments, both past and present, vis-à-vis the private bus owners and others given to exploitative practices bolsters the view that the ongoing divestiture drive will land the public in an even worse situation. If successive governments had cared to rid the state-owned bus service of malpractices and develop it, it would have been possible to tame the private bus Mafia. At least now, the Sri Lanka Transport Board should be given a radical shake-up and developed as a modern transport outfit with its fleet being augmented as a national priority.

We do not promote the consumption of animal products, but it defies comprehension why a decrease in the kerosene price from Rs. 245 to Rs. 202 since April and the substantial diesel price reductions during the same period have not been reflected in fish prices, which remain extremely high.

The mudalali Mafia gets the best of both worlds due to lax laws and regulations, which are advantageous to them. The government also exploits the public by imposing extortionate tax and tariff hikes on them while allowing them to be fleeced by traders and others with impunity. Let them be warned that they are testing the people’s patience, which is wearing thin.