XN000022-1983-04-22 — Page 10

FRIDAY, APRIL 22, 1983

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FURTHER CONCESSION FOR PHYSICALLY DISABLED DRIVERS

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THE GOVERNMENT PROPOSES A FURTHER CONCESSION TO PHYSICALLY DISABLED DRIVERS BY EXEMPTING THEM FROM PAYING FIRST REGISTRATION TAX ON PURCHASING A NEW PRIVATE CAR.

DETAILS OF THE PROPOSAL ARE CONTAINED IN THE MOTOR VEHICLES (FIRST REGISTRATION TAX) (AMENDMENT) BILL 1983 PUBLISHED IN THE GOVERNMENT GAZETTE TODAY (FRIDAY).

THE FIRST REGISTRATION TAX FOR PRIVATE VEHICLES WAS DOUBLED LAST MAY FROM THE PREVIOUS RANGE OF 35-45 PER CENT TO 70-90 PER CENT OF THE COST, INSURANCE AND FREIGHT VALUE OF THE VEHICLE. THIS, TOGETHER WITH OTHER MEASURES INTRODUCED AT THE SAME TIME, WAS AIMED AT CURBING THE RATE OF GROWTH OF PRIVATE VEHICLES.

HOWEVER, A GOVERNMENT SPOKESMAN SAID THE SUBSTANTIAL INCREASE IN FIRST REGISTRATION TAX WAS NOT INTENDED AS AN OBSTACLE TO THE INTEGRATION INTO SOCIETY OF THE SMALL NUMBER OF DISABLED DRIVERS WHO ARE DEPENDENT ON A CAR FOR MOBILITY.

TO ASSIST THIS GROUP OF PEOPLE, A NUMBER OF REGULATIONS WERE MADE IN MARCH LAST YEAR TO PROVIDE FOR A PACKAGE OF CONCESSIONS INCLUDING THE WAIVING OF FEES FOR DRIVING TESTS, THE ISSUE OF PROVISIONAL DRIVING LICENCES AND DRIVING LICENCES AND THE REDUCTION IN FEES FOR VEHICLE LICENCES.

TO QUALIFY FOR THESE CONCESSIONS, A DISABLED PERSON NEEDS TO PROVE HIS FITNESS TO DRIVE A PRIVATE CAR AND BE CERTIFIED BY THE DIRECTOR OF MEDICAL AND HEALTH SERVICES AS SUFFERING FROM A PERMANENT DISEASE OR PHYSICAL DISABILITY THAT CAUSES HIM CONSIDERABLE DIFFICULTY IN WALK ING.

THE SPOKESMAN SAID THE PROPOSED EXEMPTION FROM FIRST REGISTRATION TAX WOULD ONLY APPLY TO PRIVATE VEHICLES WITH A COST, INSURANCE AND FREIGHT VALUE OF BELOW $30 000 AS EXPERIENCE HAD SHOWN THAT SUCH TYPES OF VEHICLES WERE MOST SUITABLE FOR USE BY DISABLED DRIVERS,

NO EXEMPTION WAS PROPOSED IN RESPECT OF CARS WITH A CIF VALUE EXCEEDING $30 000 AS THEY BELONGED TO THE LUXURY CATEGORY, HE SAID.

IT HAS ALSO BEEN PROPOSED THAT SUCH AN EXEMPTION SHOULD ONLY BE GRANTED TO A DISABLED DRIVER ONCE EVERY FIVE YEARS UNLESS THERE ARE EXCEPTIONAL CIRCUMSTANCES SUCH AS WHEN A CAR SO REGISTERED HAS BEEN DAMAGED BEYOND ECONOMIC REPAIR OR HAS BEEN STOLEN BEFORE THE EXPIRY OF THE FIVE-YEAR PERIOD.

THE BILL

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