Govt. approves resumption of vehicle imports from February after 5-year ban

Colombo, December 1 (Daily Mirror) - The government has given the green light to resume vehicle imports, starting February next year, following a five-year suspension, President of the Vehicle Importers’ Association of Lanka (VIAL), Indika Sampath Merinchige said.

Addressing the media, he said that the Central Bank of Sri Lanka (CBSL) has agreed to allocate the necessary funds and the IMF has also permitted vehicle imports.

"Therefore, better management is needed for the limited funds allocated and vehicles must be imported to meet the needs of the ordinary people, ensuring that they can purchase vehicles at fair prices," he said.

"For this purpose, the VIAL is planning to hold discussions with the Deputy Ministers attached to the Finance Ministry. While the Deputy Ministers may have busy schedules, they should prioritise the import of vehicles while considering it an essential duty. The country's funds were mismanaged by previous governments due to the lack of consultation with experienced vehicle importers,” Merinchige added.

He also said that there are about 600 vehicle importers in the country and that vehicle imports should benefit both, the importers and the public.

"Importing vehicles will help stabilise prices and support the implementation of a policy to maintain the existing used vehicle market in the country," Merinchige said.