Govt. to hand over 25% of RMV exams to SLTB, AA: Dy. Min.

Transport and Civil Aviation Deputy Minister Ashok Abesinghe said yesterday a Cabinet paper had been submitted to hand over 25 per cent of the motor vehicle examinations to the Sri Lanka Transport Board (SLTB) and the Automobile Association of Sri Lanka (AA).

He said this in response to a question raised by JVP MP Sunil Hadunnetti in the House on whether the government was going to hand over 75 per cent of motor vehicle examinations to the private sector.

The deputy minister said the decision was taken to put a stop to the large number of fraudulent activities connected to motor vehicle examiners and the shortage of motor vehicle examiners. "We are unable to cater to the increasing demand for motor vehicle licenses due to a shortage of motor vehicle examiners," he said.

MP Hadunnetti asked why the government could not rectify the shortcomings without handing it over to the private sector.

Mr. Abesinghe replied that the decision was taken to provide a better service to the people and added that only 5 per cent would be given out initially. He said it would be done as a pilot project and that the project would be initiated depending on the success of the pilot project. (Ajith Siriwardana and Yohan Perera)