News
Question on fees for Lazard and Clifford Chance to be taken up today
Puttalam District SJB MP Niroshan Perera’s question to Finance Minister and President Ranil Wickremesinghe, on fees, etc., pertaining to France-based Lazard and Clifford Chance LLP retained by the governmnet as financial and legal advisors, respectively, for debt restructuring, is listed to be taken up in Parliament today (18).
MP Perera has referred the question to the Minister of Finance, Economic Stabilization and National Policies, according to today’s Order Paper of Parliament.
The MP calls on Minister of Finance to inform the House whether the Government of Sri Lanka has entered into an agreement to obtain financial consultancy services from M/S Lazards-France company; if so, of the primary obligations of the above company as per the said agreement; and of the amount of money to be paid by the Government of Sri Lanka in terms of the above agreement and the amount paid so far separately in Sri Lankan Rupees and US Dollars.
The MP also demands the Minister of Finance to inform the House whether the Government has entered into an agreement to procure legal consultancy services from M/S Clifford Chance LLP Company; of the primary obligations of the above company as per the said agreement; and of the amount of money to be paid by the Government of Sri Lanka in terms of the above agreement and the amount paid so far separately in Sri Lanka Rupees and US Dollars, and to give reasons to Parliament if not why.
According to Treasury sources the Cabinet of Ministers, at its meeting held on 23 May, 2022, granted approval to award the contract of Legal Advisor to M/s. Clifford Chance LLP to award the contract of Financial Advisor to M/s. Lazard, France for Restructuring of the External Public Debt. The cabinet has approved a proposal by the then President Gotabaya Rajapaksa to appoint the two.
The question has come to the Order Paper for the second time as the government failed to respond to it when it had been raised during an earlier sitting day asking for time. (SI)
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.
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
Implementing the programme to provide concession for pepper, coffee and cardamom plantations affected by the disaster
Cabinet nod to obtain diagnostic reports under public-private partnership
‘Dates have the highest sugar content to fight Coronavirus’
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