Opposition MP Rohitha Abeygunawardena today questioned the government on the 3% tax that is added when imported vehicles are released from customs within 90 days.
Addressing the Parliament today, he said that the taxes add up to around 45% by the lapse of five months, stating that it places an undue burden on the consumer.
He pointed out issues with vehicles imported under cross-border LCs, which are now languishing at the Hambantota port, and that they incur high demurrages on top of the tax issue
MP Rohitha Abeygunawardena further questioned whether the government intends to make amendments in this regard.
Responding to the MP, Deputy Minister of Economic Development Nishantha Jayaweera said this surcharge has been imposed on importers with the expectation of retaining foreign exchange within the country.
He further said a large sum of foreign exchange leaves the country when a large stock of vehicles is imported and hoarded in the country.
“The 3% tax has been imposed in a bid to systematically control this. I have monitored the customs process, and so far it has taken only around 2 weeks for large stocks of imported vehicles to be cleared, and not 45 days as claimed,” he said. (Newswire)