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Relief urgently needed
Monday, 4 September 2006 - 6:11 AM SL Time
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Much of the people`s attention doubtless is now focused on the ongoing armed conflict in the North-East region, claymore mine explosions, killings and abductions in other parts of the country and the political leaders` brisk peregrinations abroad. But it will not be long before they realize that the steady march of the cost of living is, meanwhile, cutting the ground from under their feet.
Fuel prices have been raised despite Minister A.H.M.Fowzie`s customary avowals against price increases. Electricity charges also have been raised. These increases will inevitably result in price hikes in almost all consumer goods and services thus making it extremely difficult for people to keep body and soul together.
Whatever the Transport Minister says about resisting attempts to raise fares by the private sector bus operators who are mainly concerned about their business viability, they will go ahead pushing up their fares. It is futile to expect them to suffer losses and serve the public as the public sector concerns are expected to do.
Moreover the commanding position the private transport sector has acquired enables them to dictate terms to the government compelling it to give in to their demands. The failure of the public sector transport to make progress strengthens their position. The attempts being made to resuscitate the public sector services are increasingly proving abortive.
The reports about various problems arisen in the revived public sector bus services show that they are unable to play the originally expected complementary and competitive role in the road transport system. If these services are to be maintained even at the present levels the Treasury will have to bear the brunt of losses caused by inefficiencies, trade union rivalries, political clashes, fraud and corruption that plague these organizations.
The Sri Lanka Railways which for a long time has been down in the dumps will also be compelled to raise fares. Most commuters who have found it difficult to cope with constant fair hikes in the private sector bus services have increasingly turned to railways despite the many shortcomings in these services.
Riddled as they are with all the problems and inadequacies associated with all state services, these services often subject the commuters to much inconvenience. Sudden interruption of services by employees on trade union issues or following clashes with commuters, have become regular occurrences today. The violent incident at the Mt.Lavinia Railway Station on Saturday when angry commuters went berserk was one example of such service interruptions.
So, the expected fare increases in these sectors will have an excruciating impact on the lives of most people since transport covers a wide range of people`s activities. Those involved in the sector handling transport of goods will inevitably raise their charges and this will result in a sharp rise in a wide range of consumer items varying from vegetables to biscuits. Most affected in this situation are salaried employees who are in an eternal struggle to make ends meet as they find the cost of living going up in geometric progression while their salaries go up only in arithmetical proportions.
Although Consumer Affairs Minister Jeyaraj Fernandopulle`s intentions about setting up of a chain of state-controlled shops to provide consumer goods at reasonable prices are laudable, there are no signs of his programme making progress to bring the expected degree of relief to the ordinary consumer. The small number of shops the government has opened cannot compete with the ubiquitous shops of private traders.
It is no secret that the slightest excuse is enough for the rapacious manufacturer, trader, butcher or baker to increase the prices of things they deal in by unconscionable amounts. It is the duty of the government, therefore, to exercise constant vigilance and take effective steps to curb unfair trade practices. The government is obliged at least to do this since it is unable to control the features such as global fuel price hikes. Meanwhile, the government has to actively consider granting salary increases to all grades of employees to enable them to cushion the impact of the skyrocketing cost of living on their lives. Otherwise the resulting privations will add to the resentment and bitterness the people already have towards the way in which the affairs of this country are managed today.
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