VIASL urges Tourism Ministry to include them in vehicle import scheme

Colombo, June 24 (Daily Mirror) - Since the Government has reportedly decided to permit the resumption of imports only of brand new vehicles by importing agents, the Vehicle Importers Association of Sri Lanka (VIASL) today requested the Tourism Ministry to provide relief and include them also in the ongoing scheme.

While addressing the media, VIASL Secretary Arosha Rodrigo claimed that the government had granted permission to import 1,000 vehicles, including buses and vans, exclusively to importers of brand new vehicles for their benefit.

"It is not practical to grant permission only to a few brand new vehicle importers when all other vehicle imports are banned nationwide. The country is currently facing a difficult situation, and we have informed the President, Finance Ministry, Tourism Ministry and the Central Bank about this. We requested that they provide relief and include us also in the ongoing scheme," Rodrigo said.

"Accordingly, we would like to request the government to allow the import of vehicles that are less than six months old from the year of manufacture and which have a genuine mileage of less than 400 kilometres. Vehicles meeting these conditions can be imported at a lower cost," he said.

"Importing vehicles under these conditions will help minimize the outflow of dollars from the country, and the tax revenue will go directly to the Treasury," Rodrigo added.