Time should be utilised to the fullest to develop a country. However, in Sri Lanka, time is often wasted, whether intentionally or not. The first step is to recognise the value of an hour of work.
The average hourly wage in England is £11.44, approximately 4000 rupees in Sri Lankan currency. In Sri Lanka, most jobs pay salaries on a monthly basis.
Let’s estimate the average salary of an employee in Sri Lanka as 50000 rupees per month. Employees who work for 140 hours in a month will receive 360 rupees per hour.
Comparing this to a developed country like England, the average monthly salary for a person in England is around £1500. If they work 140 hours a month, their hourly wage is almost £11.
Surprisingly, employees in Sri Lanka earn higher salaries than employees in England.
Considering the high cost of living in Sri Lanka, the salary being offered is significantly below the standard.
Consequently, employees in Sri Lanka may not be able to provide the same level of service as their counterparts in England due to the disparity in hourly wages.
In many cases, the output of work from a Sri Lankan employee may be less than half of what is expected from an employee in England.
The reasons for this
The situation between the employee in England and the Sri Lankan employee can be attributed to several factors. The worker in England enjoys a satisfying lifestyle, while the Sri Lankan employee does not have the same level of comfort.
The Sri Lankan worker experiences high levels of pressure and has limited space within the societal norms. This creates significant obstacles for him in performing his job effectively.
It is extremely challenging for him to carry out his duties while coping with the stress he faces from the beginning of each day.
Reasons for common people’s life to be disturbed
The main reason for this is the inefficiency of the Sri Lankan transport service. This situation has arisen due to political decisions made by the authorities in Sri Lanka over time.
The number of hours the country is losing due to the inefficiency of the transport service cannot be counted. This situation occurs because there is no properly functioning traffic law system in Sri Lanka.
There is no effective speed limit control, leading to significant city traffic congestion. People drive their vehicles as they please without adhering to traffic rules. It’s not the people’s fault; there is a lack of education about the laws.
Formulating and enforcing traffic rules is not difficult or expensive. The average speed in Sri Lanka is 70 km/h, with a 40 km/h limit within city limits. However, there are no signs indicating this on Sri Lankan roads. These signs are typically only found at cities’ entry and exit points.
The current situation is entirely unacceptable. Road restriction signs should be placed along the road as much as possible.
This can be achieved by displaying signs on lampposts on both sides of the road and painting them on the road surface.
This practice should be implemented across the entire island. When these measures are in place, people will be more likely to remember and adhere to the speed limits on the road they travel.
These are not new concepts but rather simple practices that are effective in all developed countries worldwide.
Two terrible decisions taken by Sri Lankan politicians
The privatisation of Sri Lanka’s bus fleet and the import of three-wheelers have raised concerns. Three-wheelers, in particular, are not suitable vehicles for a developing country.
These small vehicles often contribute to traffic congestion by not following road rules and travelling in the same lane. As a result, they disrupt the flow of traffic. Better road management and control of three-wheelers could address this issue.
The number of service hours lost in the country due to the high volume of three-wheelers on the roads in Sri Lanka is significant. These three-wheelers create obstacles that hinder people from doing their work effectively.
Sri Lanka’s road system cannot cope with the competition among three-wheeler drivers, and the mental stress they cause has become a widespread issue. Therefore, it is essential to consider discontinuing the use of three-wheelers as soon as possible.
Mentalism caused by private buses
Private buses are the next biggest cause of destruction after three-wheelers. The rulers of Sri Lanka made this decision unwisely and appear to be aiming to benefit their political allies. As a result, Sri Lanka is currently experiencing a crisis that seems impossible to resolve.
The National Transport Authority of Sri Lanka, also known as the Transport Board, has not shown any improvement. Private bus operators have surpassed the government-run authority, forcing both the government and the public to yield to their control.
The private bus authority is largely controlled by unruly individuals who have taken over the country’s roads. Their substandard buses and services are not suitable for a developing country like Sri Lanka.
Their presence poses a significant obstacle to the country’s development. The time wasted by the country’s employees on the highways due to their actions amounts to billions of rupees.
This situation needs to be resolved very soon
If the Transport Authority of Sri Lanka is not organised correctly, it will not only hinder the country’s development but also negatively impact the mental well-being of its people.
This has already begun to occur, as the people of Sri Lanka are experiencing increased stress. While there are several contributing factors, the congestion in the road system is causing a 25 per cent decline in the mental resilience of the population. This is a significant issue that should not be overlooked.
People who face this cycle day after day cannot get much service. They should serve the country in the midst of external pressure, but this situation has arisen through no fault of theirs. It is entirely the fault of the state administration.
The government is responsible for creating an environment where people can work peacefully. For that, the first thing that should be done is to allow people to come to work freely and without stress. So, modernising the national transport service needs to be done.
The private sector should not be given control of public transport. If it is privatised, it should be managed by a single institution. Too many private bus owners have led to the deterioration of public transport.
The government of Sri Lanka needs to address these issues promptly. The current rulers have failed to acknowledge the significant damage caused to the country. They believe their decisions are always right, but unfortunately, their governance has been unsuccessful.
A government with a new leader
In this year’s presidential election, the people of Sri Lanka have elected a new leader whom they have great faith in. It is crucial for the new leader to maintain this trust to develop the country.
This may require making essential decisions that might not be popular with the people. The citizens may not fully understand the situation, so it is the responsibility of the new government to manage this effectively.
