News
MP Ramanathan sees sinister motives in those opposing Chinese funded projects
By Dinasena Ratugamage
Opposition to Chinese-funded projects was politically motivated, SLFP MP Angajan Ramanathan said yesterday.
MP Ramanathan said that since Independence Sri Lanka had received foreign aid from many countries. “However, in recent times, some groups have been painting a black picture of China. While claiming that they are against discrimination, they are spreading the most awful xenophobic propaganda against the Chinese.”
Addressing the media in Jaffna, MP Ramanathan said Sri Lanka and China had maintained commercial and diplomatic relations for thousands of years and Sri Lanka had had a small Chinese community for centuries.
“Now, some Opposition parties are objecting to the Chinese-funded projects. This is strange because when these parties were in power, they too asked for and received Chinese aid. It is wrong to spread malicious propaganda against one of our best friends.”
MP Ramanathan said that recently TNA MP M.A. Sumanthiran had alleged that Chinese nationals were engaged in road construction work in the North.
“The TNA MP even posted a photo of a construction worker on social media claiming that he was a Chinese national. However, the person in the photo was a Sri Lankan Muslim from Batticaloa. This is the kind of allegations these people make,” the SLFP MP said.
The Cabinet of Ministers has approved the proposal presented by the Minister of Transport, Highways, and Urban Development to award the contract for printing and supplying vehicle number plates for the Department of Motor Traffic for a period of five (5) years to M/s South Asian Technologies based on the recommendations of the High-Level Standing Procurement Committee and the Procurement Appeal Board.
The National Lotteries board has been established subject to the Finance Act No. 11 of 1963. Having identified the requirement of amending that act which was imposed around 62 years to cater the current requirements of the lottery market, the Cabinet of Mnisters at their meeting held on 14.02.2017 granted approval to draft a new bill for the purpose.
Accordingly, the National Lotteries Board has recognized further amendments to be performed to the fundamental draft bill prepared by the Legal Draftsmen.
Therefore, the Cabinet of Ministers granted approval for the
resolution furnished by the President in his office as the Minister of Finance, Planning and Economic Development to direct the Legal Draftsmen to finalize the formulation of the draft bill for the National Lotteries Board as soon as possible including the proposed new amendments as well.
The Werahara office of the Department of Motor Traffic performs issuance of temporary driving licenses in this country based on the driving licenses issued overseas, and measures have been initiated to render the service from a service window of the Department of Motor Traffic established at the Bandaranayake International Airport from 03.08.2025.
The fees charged for issuing temporary driving licenses have been published in Motor Vehicles (Driving License Levy) Regulations No. 3 of 2022 prepared under the provisions of the Motor Traffic (Authority 203) Act.
But, as the fee of Rupees 2,000/- charged for the service is not sufficient, the requirement of amending the regulations has been recognized.
The regulations for introducing the revised fees have been published in the government extraordinary gazette
notification No. 2463/04 dated 17.11.2025. Therefore, the Cabinet of Ministers granted approval to the resolution furnished by the Minister of Transport, Highways and Urban Development to
submit the regulations to the Parliament for its concurrence.
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M/s South Asian Technologies awarded contract to supply vehicle number plates
A new act for National Lotteries Board to be introduced
Motor Vehicles (Driving License Levy) Regulations No. 3 of 2022 to be amended
Mrs. P. K. L. S. Panduwawala appointed to the post of Surveyor General
‘Dates have the highest sugar content to fight Coronavirus’
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