Finance Ministry trying to bend laws for Negombo importer: Association

The Finance Ministry was trying to grant permission to a businessman to import 2,500 vehicles parts to be re-assembled here for three years, against the rules and regulation that govern importing of vehicles, Vehicle Importers’ Association said yesterday.

They said the permission had been given to a vehicle spare part importer in Negombo to import any type of vehicles from any country with a 70 per cent duty concession.

“Also the Ministry has given permission to assemble the vehicles and to put them into the market. The proposal had been discussed in the Cabinet and it was not passed as two SLFP Ministers opposed it,” a spokesman for the Association said.

“However, the Finance Ministry is trying its best to pass the proposal in the Cabinet,” he said.

“This Government has introduced various duties and regulations, totalling 17 times, to discourage people from buying and importing vehicles,” he said.

Meanwhile, eight containers of vehicle parts had been seized by the Customs yesterday and the Finance Ministry had allegedly directed the Customs to release the containers immediately, he said.

Finance Ministry sources said the Finance Ministry had requested the Customs to release the containers as the owner (Vehicle Lanka Private Limited) of the consignment had been a registered customer.

“Vehicle Lanka Private Limited had been registered prior to imposition of new import regulations, while some other importers were not,” he said.

“His previous imports had been seized by the Customs and he had filed a lawsuit in the Supreme Court and the Court had granted permission to release and register the vehicles,” he added. (Chaturanga Pradeep)