Samoa minister defends new rules on old cars

The minister says Samoans need newer cars - and fewer cars

Samoa's transport minister has rebuffed criticism over a new law blocking imports of cars that are more than eight years old.

The change comes into force this week and some fear it'll make vehicles unaffordable for local people, the Samoa Observer reports. But Minister of Transport Papali'i Niko Lee Hang says the shift will be good for the environment and ease the Pacific state's traffic woes, which he blames on low prices. "The roads are so congested, there are so many cars. That's because people can afford cheap cars," he says.

The current age limit for imported cars is 12 years, and one local business says the change will more than double the cost of a second-hand vehicle. Haseeb Ashraf, whose family owns Apia Motors, tells the paper the new law will make it "very difficult" for dealers to keep going.

That doesn't seem to faze the minister, although he's not totally sure about the costs involved. "I don't deal with used cars but if they think that those are the figures then yes... Newer models will cost more than the rubbish they are bringing in," he says.

Among those commenting online, many support the government's decision, although one reader is concerned that it'll be harder to repair modern cars' electronic components than older models. Another person notes that "any car is a potential lemon", so a mileage limit on imported vehicles would make more sense than an age limit.

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