• Responds to objections raised by CMTA on 10-yr-old buses being permitted to be imported

The Ministry of Transport and Highways said that all the guidelines and the procedure related to importing vehicles and lifting import restrictions were introduced by the Ministry of Finance, Economic Stabilisation and National Policy, and that therefore, it (the Transport Ministry) has no authority to intervene in such decisions.

The Ministry said this in response to a statement made by the Ceylon Motor Traders’ Association (CTMA) that a new policy has allowed the importing of buses which are 10 years old, as opposed to the previous limit of five years. They claimed that this change in age restriction could lead to very lower purchasing prices for these buses initially but that the resulting outflow for vehicle repairs and spare parts can reverse this benefit in the coming years. Such short term policy measures should therefore be reconsidered and investigated, they claimed. 

“Buses with a 10-year age or more typically have covered approximately one million kilometres, which equates to around 100,000 kilometres per year. The CMTA has also raised concerns on the environmental and safety impacts of buses that are 10-years of age and their road worthiness, especially if they are not properly tested beforehand,” it added.

When he was queried in this regard, the Secretary to the Ministry Priyantha Mayadunne told The Daily Morning that since this is associated with importing vehicles, the decisions regarding this matter are made by the Finance Ministry and that the matter is not under the purview of the Transport Ministry. 

“These import guidelines are introduced by the Finance Ministry. We have no authority to overrule it. The Transport Ministry is to regulate the transport system in the country. This matter is far away from our territory. Therefore, if someone has any issue in this regard, they must inform this to the Finance Ministry in order to get these guidelines changed,” he said.