News
Jayasumana: Reveal how parties raised funds for May Day
Dissident SLPP MP Prof. Channa Jayasumana yesterday said that political parties and individual MPs should be asked to explain how they funded May Day rallies.
The academic said that many lawmakers would find it difficult to hire buses, provide two dozen bottles of arrack to each bus, bites and food.
The Anuradhapura District MP said that he didn’t get involved in any May Day rally due to current impasse in talks pertaining to a future course of action. “Therefore, I didn’t have to worry about expenses. But, the whole May Day propaganda exercise seemed an utter waste of money,” Prof. Jayasumana said, adding that those publicly so keen to tackle corruption should turn the searchlight inward to see how funding was obtained to transport people from all parts of the country to Colombo.
The MP pointed out that the JVP organized four large rallies, the SJB two and the SLPP one.
According to him, moving one bus load of people between Anuradhapura and Colombo could cost as much as Rs 200,000.
Prof. Jayasumana found fault with political parties for continuing, what he called, utterly useless and irrelevant May Day practices, especially at a time when the country was experiencing an unprecedented economic crisis.
The MP said that the country was in such a desperate situation he couldn’t understand how political parties celebrated with ‘papare’ bands and foreign singers (SF)
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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