Gamunu: Card Payment System 'Not Working' as Intended

 The Lanka Private Bus Owners' Association has expressed its opposition to the new system of paying fares using bank cards, which was introduced for passenger transport buses. The association's president, Mr. Gamunu Wijeratne, emphasized at a press conference that this project will not be successful as long as the card machine remains in the hands of the bus conductor.

He pointed out that for this system to be implemented properly, relevant laws and regulations must first be formulated, and the conductor should be removed from this process.

The President urged authorities not to implement this project halfway, as it would otherwise become just another fraud, similar to the unsuccessful pilot projects implemented in the past, making a mockery of the country.

These programs were recently launched under the government's digitalization policy, spearheaded by Transport Minister Bimal Ratnayake, with the aim of preventing passengers from not receiving change on buses and curbing fraud and corruption related to tickets.

However, commenting on this new system, Mr. Sampath Ranasinghe, President of the All Ceylon Private Bus Owners' Association, stated that bus owners could secure a significant amount of money that they lose daily through this card system. Nevertheless, he expressed his dissatisfaction regarding the increase in the percentage of service charges levied by banks for these payments.

Mr. Ranasinghe further mentioned that although it was agreed during discussions with the Ministry of Transport and government parties that the relevant bank commission should be less than 1%, information has now been received that the charge is going to be between 1.3% and 1.8%.