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  • 5 weeks ago
The Automotive Dealers Association welcomes initiatives in the 2025-2026 Fiscal Plan relating to its industry. This includes the extended permissible age of vehicles for import.
However, it is concerned about crime in the country.

Alicia Boucher has the details.
Transcript
00:00As it pertains to adding taxes on luxury electric vehicles which cost $400,000 or more,
00:06the Automotive Dealers Association doesn't have an issue there,
00:10saying it will not impact middle to lower income earners.
00:14The association's president, businessman Visham Baboy, is however pleased
00:18that the age has moved from three to six years for used vehicles that can be imported.
00:23It's welcome news for the citizens of Trinidad and Tobago,
00:25so compounded with the removal of the dollar per gallon on super fuel is again more welcome news
00:32because most of these vehicles will be using the super fuel, yes, the super gasoline,
00:38which is very good news.
00:39It's the first time in a lot of years, I mean, I can remember any time fuel prices being reduced in this country.
00:47Baboy tells us the move will allow people to be able to more readily afford vehicles,
00:51which he sees as a necessity given what he believes is an unreliable public transport system
00:57and the lack of safety in the country.
01:00I just want to have an idea of, you know, how that impact ripples down.
01:05Well, the note which might sell for $120,000, $125,000 and $35,000,
01:10I would estimate that the price might go down to about $85,000.
01:14While the age for importation of T-vehicles like pickup trucks will be 10 years,
01:19Baboy indicates that there is a need for dialogue with the trade ministry
01:23as dealers are prevented from importing those under their regular licenses
01:28and require a specific license from the ministry.
01:32In terms of crime...
01:33They put a heavy hand on crime because that is the only way the citizens of this country
01:37would really feel safe and they would be getting something that would protect them
01:44because you can't have the criminals playing, having mayhem with the citizens of the country
01:50and going their own way and you have the low-abiding citizens suffering.
01:55So crime, I really want to see something happen with crime that will reduce crime
01:59and make the country safe again.
02:01And Baboy says it is also important to regulate the distribution of foreign exchange
02:06which continues to be a long-standing problem facing the country.
02:10He doesn't believe that the increase in fees to have containers examined at the port
02:14should have an impact, saying it is presently $225 and will now be $1,050.
02:22That is a very negligible cost because you are not looking at a container,
02:26you are looking at the goods in a container.
02:28If you have goods in a container value of $500, a million dollars,
02:32you would tell me that you are going to pass $500 on to the consumers.
02:37Alicia Boucher, TB6 News.
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