Sri Lanka: Transport Ministry wants bus name boards in Sinhala and Tamil

[Harold Schiffman]

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Monday, 1 October 2007



 Dullas wants bus name boards in Sinhala and Tamil


Rajmi MANATUNGA

COLOMBO: The Transport Ministry has directed all state passenger buses
to indicate their destination in both Sinhala and Tamil, in keeping
with the National Language Policy.
The directive issued by Transport Minister Dullas Alahapperuma to
officials of the Sri Lanka Transport Board (SLTB) will also apply
other notices displayed on state buses.
"In terms of the National Language Policy, all notices and
announcements of the Government must be published in both Sinhala and
Tamil. However, this is not observed by certain SLTB buses, especially
those operating outside the North and the East," he said.

The Minister pointed out the importance of remembering that Tamil is
the mother tongue of a part of Sri Lanka's population who have the
right to communicate with the State in their language. "We must
respect this right of our Tamil and Muslim brethren. It is unfortunate
that we have missed opportunities to earn their confidence through
such policies which can be easily implemented," he added.




 http://www.dailynews.lk/2007/10/01/news05.asp


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