Over the coming months we will be adding new categories to the News section of our website and this month we are pleased to introduce you to Notes From the Chairman. This news category will contain brief memos from the Autoworld Chairman, Mr Noble Findlay, who has over 40 years of experience in the Zambian motor trade. It is a chance for you to be a fly on the wall hearing some of his words of wisdom gained over his years in the industry. We would love to hear your thoughts on this topic so please take the opportunity to comment in the section below this post. On that note, we hand you over to our Chairman...
For as many years as I can remember I have always advocated reduced duty on products in the motor trade. High import duties on boat engines and boats have made it impossible for so many to afford these items, making them more of a luxury product than an essential item for both the tourism industry as well as commercial fishermen.
When the 2013 Budget Statement was announced last October I was very pleased to hear that boat engines that used to have a duty of 15% would now be duty free. Additionally, boats that used to have a duty of 25% would now be duty free as well. As sole distributor of Mercury Marine engines and a wide range of boat dealerships at Autoworld we are now able to pass on this reduction in lower prices for our customers.
This makes a significant difference for Zambia because now the lodge owner is able to afford the luxury boat to enhance their clients’ tourist experience. The commercial fisherman now has a boat engine within his reach.
Another very positive improvement from the 2013 Budget has been that truck tyres that had a duty of 25% are now duty free. This significantly reduces transport costs, which are one of our main bottlenecks in Zambia. In time this knock on effect should result in cheaper products for the Zambian consumer.
Zambia is a nation of tourism and growing development and after 40 years of being in the motor industry I am very excited to see the direction that we heading.