(COLOMBO) – The restriction on the import of vehicles into the country is likely to be lifted by mid August, Sri Lanka’s State Minister of Finance Ranjith Siyambalapitiya said on Wednesday.
He said a committee appointed to look into the matter met recently and agreed to submit the final report to the Cabinet within the second week of August.
Siyambalapitiya said that accordingly, it will be able to import vehicles according to the country’s revenue situation, while prioritising the needs of the people.
The imports will begin from public transport vehicles, goods transport vehicles, alternative vehicles, public vehicles and then the private vehicles, subject to regulations, he said.
He also said that the Cabinet of Ministers have approved the importation of 1,000 vehicles for the tourism sector and that none of those vehicles have been imported thus far.
He stated that the import of 250 buses and 750 vans has been allowed under this, subject to the approval of the Ministry of Tourism.
The ban on the importation of vehicles was introduced some two years ago, as the island-nation ran dry of foreign reserves caused by a severe economic meltdown.
