However, local businessman John Beaton, a trustee of the appeal which raised the funds for the bus, said today that thanks to their cause being adopted by a prominent local businessman, there may be light at the end of the tunnel.

Now, four months on since the clinic, designed and built by coachbuilder Derek Keillor and displayed to the public in City Square before it began its winding trail to Sri Lanka, hopes are high it might be released from the docks in the next couple of weeks.

Mr Beaton said, “Before the bus was in City Square we were in contact with the Sri Lankan Government notifying them of the pending gift and requesting import duty exemption and free port handling.

“It was displayed on March 12 and shipping was being arranged as it was intended to hand over the ‘bus’ in Sri Lanka on April 24, their New Year’s Day. At this time we incurred problems with UK Customs & Excise demanding VAT charges of £10,600.

“After almost five weeks of delay caused by this dispute, resolved by the assistance of Alex Dorward, city of Dundee finance director, the ‘bus’ sailed on April 27 and arrived a month later in Colombo — with demands for 300% import duty!

“Four and a half months after we displayed the ‘bus’ in City Square, we have finally been notified a ‘waiver is being granted'.

“Many have assisted in this effort but success has come from the endeavours and contacts of Mr K C Vignarajah, a local businessman and chairman of the Centre for Health Care, who will operate the mercy bus.

“His next task is with the chairman of the Port of Colombo, requesting waiver of the considerable docks charges incurred during the import duty dispute.

“Hopefully this will be resolved within the next 14 days and the ‘bus’ will be free to fulfil it's targeted role.

“It has been a harder task resolving problems with both Governments than to generate donations and build the ‘mercy bus’.

“But there are others in the same position,” Mr Beaton added. “Last week Oxfam finally managed to get 24 trucks from India into Sri Lanka by paying the charges and then appealing against them to try to reclaim them.”