ADT struggles to cope with car registration backlog

Car dealers and their customers are being forced to wait at least two weeks for their vehicles because the Malta Transport Authority is unable to issue number plates within the usual three day timeframe.

This backlog is a consequence of delays in the introduction of the new registration tax regime, which was announced in last November's budget.

A spokesman for the Transport Ministry said: "We are currently experiencing a backlog, although it is an exaggeration to say it is taking 'weeks instead of days'."

Several car dealers, who preferred not to be named, told The Sunday Times they are still waiting for number plates relating to dozens of submissions made at the beginning of February.

One importer said: "Taxpayers' money is not being used efficiently. Buyers here pay much higher tax on cars than other European countries, which practically doubles the price of cars in Malta, and they can't even get their number plates on time."

While blaming the commercial backlog on "the commercial choice of importers to time the registration of their vehicles according to the changes in legislation," the Transport Ministry admitted that no cars were registered in 2009 until January 12, as the changes required by the new tax regime were still being implemented.

The registration of used cars imported from non-EU countries, such as Japan, did not start until February 11. The ministry said this was a manual process and a complicated one since it had to be ensured that vehicles complied with European emission standards.

However, the Used Vehicles Association attributed the delays to a lack of preparation.

"The registration of Japanese cars started late. At this point, the ADT is doing all it can but it lacks the necessary manpower so we are facing delays of two to three weeks," a spokesman for the association said.

The Malta Chamber for Small and Medium Enterprises - GRTU said a lack of information had compounded delays when it came to registering personal imports from EU countries. This had prompted the union to put up An Unofficial Users Manual on its website offering a step-by-step guide to the process.

"Registering a vehicle is a simple and painless affair everywhere but Malta has managed to trump the rest of the planet once again and turn a mindless procedure into an epic saga," the GRTU said.

The "ordeal" of registering personal imports was explained by the owner of a second-hand BMW recently imported from the UK. Last week, he was forced to visit the Transport Authority's registration department three days in a row, turning up at 5.45 a.m. to beat the queues that formed well before the department opened.

Last Tuesday, he was told what papers were required and was given an appointment to determine the car's value for tax purposes the next day. Yet when he returned the ADT official refused to let him know how much tax he should pay and insisted the owner makes another visit.

When he did so, he took his cheque book and was told that he could only pay in cash or through a bank draft. After making a payment of over €10,000 he was informed that he faced a minimum two week wait before he could drive his car.

One of a long list of documents required for registering personal imports is an e-form downloadable from the Transport Authority's website. Applicants not owning a computer or not familiar with the web were told to go to an internet cafe and to take someone with them to help them out.

The Transport Ministry defended the ADT saying that more car registrations were being processed compared with previous years. During January of last year, a total of 1,013 vehicles were registered - 478 new cars and 535 used cars. Between January 12 and 31 of this year, the number increased to 1,100 - 801 new vehicles and 299 used vehicles.

"ADT staff (have) extended their working hours to 12 hours a day, six days a week until the backlog is cleared. This is expected to happen in the next two weeks," the ministry said.

In a separate statement last Friday, the ADT said that all vehicles processed online to date would be cleared by the Licensing and Testing Directorate by Friday.