Minister of Transport, Highways, Ports and Civil Aviation – Bimal Rathnayake has announced that the government will implement new regulations for the import of public transport buses starting January next year.

Speaking at a media briefing yesterday (May 14), the Minister stated that under the revised guidelines, only buses meeting modern safety and quality standards will be approved for import.

He further stated that the Ministry of Transport will begin inspections to ensure all public transport vehicles currently in operation comply with required safety and operational standards.

Several Opposition parties have agreed to work together to secure power in 139 Local Government bodies, reports say.

Several opposition party leaders, including those from the SLPP and SLFP, had met with former President Ranil Wickremesinghe yesterday (May 14) to discuss forming joint administrations in local government bodies and they have agreed in principle to collaborate moving forward.

MP Namal Rajapaksa, Nimal Siripala de Silva, Anura Priyadharshana Yapa, Duminda Dissanayake, Udaya Gammanpila, Mano Ganesan, and P. Digambaram met Mr. Wickremesinghe and decided to collaborate in this manner, reports add.

As part of the second phase of the luxury vehicle auction conducted by the Presidential Secretariat, 26 vehicles including luxury and decommissioned models are scheduled to be auctioned today (May 15).

All vehicles set to be auctioned were manufactured within the last ten years. The deadline for submitting bids for these vehicles concluded today (May 14).

Among the vehicles to be auctioned are 01 BMW car, 02 Ford Everest Jeeps, 01 Hyundai Terracan Jeep, 02 Land Rover Jeep 02, 01 Mitsubishi Montero, 03 Nissan Patrol vehicles, 02 Nissan cars, 01  Porsche Cayenne, 05 SsangYong Rexton Jeeps, 01 Toyota Land Cruiser Sahara, 06 V08 vehicles and 01 Mitsubishi Rosa air-conditioned bus.

Previously, under the first phase of this auction, 14 luxury vehicles, six decommissioned vehicles, and various spare parts were sold.

This initiative is part of the government’s effort to reduce expenditure and promote financial responsibility. In the first phase, 15 vehicles, including nine Defender jeeps, were successfully auctioned.

The vehicles being auctioned tomorrow are not part of the official vehicle fleet assigned to the regular staff of the Presidential Secretariat. Instead, they were used by advisors and staff appointed by the former President under Article 41(1) of the Constitution during his term in office.

(President’s Media Division)