Transport, Highways, and Urban Development Minister Bimal Rathnayake stated that if any bus driver or conductor is found using drugs, the respective bus owner’s route permit will be cancelled. The Minister made these remarks during a meeting held at the Matara District Secretariat.

Elaborating further, the Minister said:

“Bus owners are well aware whether their drivers or conductors use drugs or not. Therefore, I want to state firmly to all bus owners: do not allow this under any circumstances. If you do, you risk losing your route permit. We simply do not believe that a driver or conductor could be using drugs without the owner’s knowledge.”

“Understand this clearly and act responsibly to protect your permit. Employ individuals who are not drug addicts for your business; otherwise, you will lose your livelihood. Remember, there are plenty of disciplined young drivers in our villages ready for this service.”