“New vehicular budget measures a sensible move for a developing country like Guyana”

Vehicle ownership will now be more affordable and accessible thanks to a measure in the 2020 Budget, which now grants the importation of half-cut vehicles, vehicles over eight years old and used tyres, as well as a 50 per cent reduction fee for any license.

These measures which are now being relieved by the PPP/C Administration were imposed by the previous administration.

Richard Singh, Managing Director of Best Buy Auto Sales is of the firm view that these particular budget measures are not only great initiatives by the new administration but also the right direction in improving the car dealership industry and promoting betterment for the people of Guyana.

Singh, who is a member of the Executive Committee of the Guyana Auto Dealer Association (GADA), stated, “Removing the ban of importing older and half-cut vehicles, was a great gesture. We [Guyana Auto Dealer Association], were against the ban to an extent, because Guyana is in a delicate stage of development and this puts a lot of pressure on the average person to own a car.”

Regardless of the model, automobiles can now be more affordable which will prompt dealerships to sell vehicles cheaper. This move will not only profit the auto industry but also allow for low-income earners to own vehicles.

“It allows a cheap source for parts that can be sold at the dealership and across the country. Because if we have to order car parts from overseas that will cost a lot of money. I do believe importing the half-cut vehicle parts is a sensible thing, especially for a developing country like us,” Singh relayed.

President of GADA and Managing Director of Kenrick’s Auto Sales, Ryan Persaud, too praised the new Government’s budget measures of making car parts more affordable.

“Importing used tyres will bring relief to the costs for persons buying tyres. Being able to buy parts would be cheaper with the half-cut because before, we had to strip a car and deliver it from Japan which was very expensive. But thanks to this new measure, maintenance will be cheap,” Persaud reiterated.

Reducing license fees by half the price will undo the burdensome expenses that were imposed in the past five years.