State Minister for Money and Capital Market and State Enterprise Reforms Ajith Nivard Cabraal said that the government is aware of the importance of motorcycles in the average man’s life, but said that imports have been suspended to deal with the negative effects of the Covid-19 pandemic.
He said, “We had to take many quick steps to protect the economy when the whole world was hit by the COVID-19 pandemic. This import restriction is one of them. We will definitely start local businesses that will manufacture motorcycles in Sri Lanka, unlike the UNF Government established the Volkswagen factory. The import restrictions will be relaxed from time to time considering all the economic factors.”
Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa said that there is a scarcity of motorcycles in the country and the middle-class and small and medium business people are suffering as a result.
Raising a question under Standing Order 27(2), Premadasa pointed out that motorcycles are the most famous vehicle used by the common people. People in rural areas used motorcycles as an affordable mode of transport. But as a result of the Government’s ban on importing motorcycles, these people are suffering, he said.
“Furthermore, businesses which imported motorcycles are about to go bankrupt due to the import ban. Workers at such businesses are not getting paid and their jobs are at risk right now. On the other hand, this import ban results in a huge loss of tax revenue to the Government too,” the Opposition Leader said.
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