Hawkers to get IDs and uniforms next month

• Minister Basil Rajapaksa’s proposal welcomed

The Government will issue special identity cards and uniforms to 2,500 small-time traders at bus stands and railway stations from next month. Economic Development Minister Basil Rajapaksa made the proposal on President Mahinda Rajapaksa’s advice in order to solve the problems of these self-employed persons, raise their living standards and help them to offer a better service to the public.

The program is being launched under Minister Rajapaksa’s direction with the assistance of Transport Minster Kumara Welgama and Private Transport Services Minister C.B. Ratnayake.

Hawking at bus stands and railway stations was banned recently, depriving nearly 2,500 persons islandwide of their livelihood. Consequently around 17,500 members of their families and about 5,000 persons who indirectly depended on them have been facing immense difficulties.

The Self-Employed Persons Federation Limited held a massive demonstration led by its President Mahinda Kahandagamage in Colombo Fort on 7 February to protest against the ban on hawking at bus stands and railway stations. Nearly 5,000 mobile traders and their families from all parts of the country participated in the demonstration and handed over a written statement to the President’s Office.

This prompted Minister Basil Rajapaksa to intervene on their behalf so that they too can contribute to the national economy. On 7 February the Cabinet decided to find a solution within two-weeks and a committee comprising Ministers Basil Rajapaksa, Kumara Welgama and C.B. Ratnayake was appointed for the purpose.

On 14 February the committee discussed the issue with all those involved including the Sri Lanka Transport Board, Railway Department, National Transport Commission, Police Department, Economic Development Ministry Private Bus Department, Lanka Private Bus Owners Association, Self-Employed Persons Federation Limited, Mobile Traders Association and Street Singers Association.  

Accordingly steps will be taken next week to identify such self-employed persons to give them a proper training starting in March. The Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority (SLTDA) is sponsoring the training program with the participation of the police and relevant state and private sector organisations.

Plans are also afoot to bring self-employed persons engaged in mobile businesses under the Economic Development Ministry’s Divi Neguma National poverty-eradication program for developing the infrastructure to meet their requirements.

The new program has been worked out to safeguard the rights and interests of both commuters and mobile traders. Any trader violating the new regulations is liable to forfeit his identity card. No one will be permitted to do sales inside moving buses and trains.