• Age 23 years sought for all public transportation drivers

The All-Island Three-Wheeler Drivers’ Association called on the Government to enforce the minimum age limit of 23 years for engaging in public transportation, rather than imposing a minimum age specifically for three-wheeler drivers. Speaking to The Daily Morning, the Association’s President Lalith Dharmasekara said that previous Governments had planned to regulate the three-wheeler profession, with proposals suggesting that citizens could obtain a driving license at age 18, a heavy vehicle license at 21, and a license for public transport at age 23. “This would have enabled a minimum age for public transport drivers to be ensured. It would have prevented students joining this profession just at 18 as well. But, it was never established. This is the move that we need the Government to take. Not to impose a minimum age for three-wheeler drivers,” he said.

“The Government also needs to regulate the three-wheeler driver profession and to standardize it first. If anyone is willing to go for the profession, they should have the right to choose their occupation and do it,” he further added.The comments come in light of remarks made by the Deputy Vocational Education Minister Nalin Hewage who stated that one of the end goals of vocational education development is to see the country’s youth having more opportunities to choose, and that in the future, where the goals are achieved, they would be able to make the minimum age for three-wheeler drivers 40 years.The remarks have ignited public debate over the three-wheeler driving profession and its social standing, with some observers suggesting that enforcing such an age restriction could encourage young people to pursue skill-based occupations instead of entering the three-wheeler field. However, no official record has been reported that the National Transport Commission is planning to gazette any such condition.

Also, the Government has not yet considered a proposal to increase the minimum age for driving three-wheelers to 40, Cabinet Spokesperson Dr Nalinda Jayatissa said yesterday (25). Speaking at the weekly Cabinet of Ministers media briefing, Dr Jayatissa said that various proposals had been received from individuals and institutions on providing vocational education and training to those who had left school before completing their education or after sitting for the General Certificate of Education Advanced Level Examination. His remarks came after Hewage recently said that the Government is considering raising the minimum age for three-wheeler drivers to 40. Dr Jayatissa said that some of the proposals concerning vocational training are already being implemented, while others are still under discussion. He stressed that the proposal to raise the minimum age for three-wheeler drivers had not yet been considered by the Government and that no decision had been taken on a specific age limit. “The Government will make the final decision on what should be implemented,” he said.