Sri Lankan car sales dealers request the government to refrain from charging demurrages and other taxes for a further two month period for imported vehicles pile up in the Hambantota Port.
Global Motor Trading Chairman, Anver Shahim s while thanking the government for the timely action in delaying the demurrages for three months requested for more time.
“However the lockdowns and curfews continued more than we expected and hence clearing of vehicles takes a longer period. This is why we are requesting for a further two month period to clear the vehicles.”
He said that the vehicle market has nosedived and people are keeping their investment to purchase a vehicle on hold. “Also the looming budget always keeps ‘car buyers’ from making purchases, expecting concessions until the budget is announced.”
Shahim said that they are also appealing to the government to have a permanent tax structure at least for five years for vehicle imports, unlike the previous budgets where ‘vehicle imports taxes’ got amended in every budget. “We need a long term tax structure to plan our marketing strategies.”
He said that they have been in business for the past 30 years starting from Kohuwela and now moving to Mount Lavinia. “With the Covid-19 pandemic and the government decision to ban import of several items including vehicles there would be a price increase.”
He also requested to levy low taxes for hybrid and electric vehicles adding that the second hand market will move faster and here again there would be a sharp price increase.
Shahim also said that globally too car prices will increase since most of the production facilities have paused operations.
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