As you all know, members face difficulty in regard to the BOI ceiling of US $ 30,000. We pointed out that due to adverse fluctuations of exchange, the ceiling may be raised. The Board of Investment raised the ceiling to US $ 35,000 as the CIF per unit, and we are thankful to the BOI in this regard.
As a result of our representations, the Commissioner of Motor Traffic has introduced a new system to provide statistics with more information. We have received a set of statistics which will be studied by our Executive Committee for further improvement and released to you.
The CMTA’s Executive Committee had discussions with the Director General of Customs and our member firms to streamline the issuance of valuation certificates.
We felt that the customs were almost taking it over for purpose of valuation. We pointed out to the Director General of Customs that it involves much technicalities and technical evaluation, as one particular model - base model has about 15 - 20 sub models and the difference between the 1st one and the 5th one may end up with about 1 million yen difference. It was well regarded and given back to the Association.
The Association actively campaigned for the introduction of unleaded gasoline for the past five years. The first request was made by my predecessor Mr. Tillak de Zoysa. We are all thankful to the Government for having introduced the unleaded gasoline as per our request. This is certainly a major step towards conservation of the environment. However, we wish to address the minds of the Government to the fact that when unleaded gasoline is introduced in other countries - it is a practice that it is sold at a subsidised price. Our request to the Government is to subsidise unleaded gasoline for a period of at least five years.
We have appealed against the present practice of categorising by brand name. The CMTA protested and appealed not to restrict the importation of vehicles by a brand name as it is unethical, unjust and unfair. Three of our member firms suffered due to this directive. Our appeal is before the authorities and we earnestly trust this position will be rectified at an early date - so that all members will have the benefit of a level field.
Our member firms who are dealing and importing genuine spare parts are facing serious harassments from those who are importing fake parts. In this regard a subcommittee is operating in order to preserve the rights of the dealers of genuine spare parts who are our members. The subcommittees proposals were presented to the Executive Committee at the eve of the Annual General Meeting.
We have also made an appeal to the Hon. Deputy Minister of Finance to :-
a. Reduce the duty bauds to 1 or 2 as it has been observed for a base duty rate of 20%, the other connected levies such as T.T., cess, excise duty and defence levy varies. The reduction of bauds will contribute to productivity and efficiency.
b. To apply duty on FOB instead of the present system of CIF because it is costly to maintain heavy stocks of spares in view of prices involved.
We also note with regret that the current laws and provisions of Fair Trade Commission and the Consumer Protection Act are inadequate to apprehend fake parts dealers who cheat unsuspecting customers and defraud the State by under-invoicing. Recently the customs detected a case where gold was smuggled inside spare parts by a passenger. I appeal to the Sri Lanka customs to impose normal duty, cess, T.T., defence levy for spare parts so hand carried. The subcommittee is also studying the possibility of mass scale customs education collectively by all Franchise holders.
It is our view that a developing country like Sri Lanka cannot afford to import used cars because they are not suitable for this country. Some of them fail the fitness tests in their respective countries and are considered either beyond repair or uneconomical to repair. When they are imported here, they are released on to our roads without a proper technical examination. Secondly an enormous amount of foreign exchange is drained in small instalments to maintain them. In view of this we have proposed to the Deputy Minister of Finance to:-
a. Impose stringent test levels to check the road worthiness of these vehicles. If the Government does not have adequate facilities to carry out these checks then to permit the Franchise holders to carry out such checks of their respective models and issue certificates. The State could then be rest assured that our members will perform very well in this regard. Let our people enjoy brand new cars - of course at an affordable price by way of reasonable duty levels.
The Motor Show was not held last year due to the security situation. However, we will have the Motor Show this year at the BMICH on August 21st, 22nd and 23rd. As you all know this is Sri Lanka’s only Motor Show and is held in collaboration with the Classic Car Club of Ceylon. The Motor Show 1997 is the platform where we exhibit the products of all our member firms and the masterpieces of yester-year in one location.
In three years we will step into a new century, a new era. Political, economical and social conditions have undergone vast changes and challenges are complex and diverse. We have to gear ourselves to the new challenges or else we are bound to regret lost opportunities. In order to do this my Association wishes to extend our fullest co-operation to the Government in drawing up a National Transport policy which I understand does not exist at the moment.
The 2.02 mile circuit against the backdrop of the hills, residential and guest houses and the picturesque Kandy Lake has not changed since the first Kandy Road Race was conducted by the Ceylon Motor Cycle Club on 14th October 1951 one year after the first ever Road Race held in Nuwara-Eliya in January 1950.
The idea of a race round the lake came from the Late Andrew Mirando who was one of Ceylon’s greatest motor racing organisers.
That was history!
However this year’s race was inadvertently called the ‘’Kandy circuit meet’’ by the organisers. Several enthusiasts have complained that it was badly organised (several letters in the Press). Some of the comments heard around the Motor Sports circles were that:-
a. The Road Closure Notice as stipulated in the Motor Traffic Act informing the public regarding times of closure did not appear in the Press;
b. Some practices were held on the race day. Never heard of this before;
c. The formula car races were suddenly reduced to 2 laps - depriving the stars of performing;
d. The meet dragged on till 5.00 p.m.;
e. Racing drivers and riders taking part should have participated at least in 3 circuit meets prior to being allowed to race at a Road Race;
f. SLAMS should get more directly involved in ensuring the proper conduct of these events;
g. In the past, the UMSC conducted successful Kandy Road Races with the support of ALL MOTOR SPORTS CLUBS.
Recently, a leading and classic racing car driver Bri Ponnambalam in an interview with the Press described the Kandy Road Race as "A fantastic track, the surface is good, crowd control is possible.
But alas! lack of co-ordination by the organisers with the police saw some incidents which could have been avoided.
Our appeal is that all motor sports clubs should join together and have a really grand Kandy Road Race.
Motor Cars racing in Sri Lanka with Motor Cycle engines
It was reported in a newspaper covering the recently concluded Katukurunda Meet that a Motor Car had raced in Sri Lanka for the first time with a motor cycle engine at that meet.
We however wish to inform our readers that in the 1950’s S.G. Bilton (Manager British Car Co. Ltd) and A.E.F. Filby (Engineer Rowlands Ltd) raced their Cooper 500 cars (one car was imported direct from U.K.and the other car’s body was fabricated by Sri Lankan tinkers), fitted with a Motor Cycle Engine - JAP 500 cc. - followed by Sri Lanka’s own Cedric Seneviratne (Engineer Walker Sons & Co. Ltd) on a Cooper 1000 car fitted with a Motor Cycle Engine - VINCENT HRD 1000 cc.
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