Region 1 fuel prices on the rise again

…Chairman slams Govt for not addressing issue

Region One (Barima-Waini) has been battling with constant fuel shortages in the past which resulted in skyrocketing prices. Recently, the issue returned and many fear that the problem will worsen.
These were the sentiments shared by Regional Chairman Brentol Ashley, who told this publication that the price for one barrel of gasoline is currently on the rise again, and the value for one barrel is more than twice the standard cost.
In the past, Region One was serviced with fuel from Venezuela after being granted permission by the relevant authorities to transport across the border. The practice, which was legal up to the Pomeroon River mouth in Region Two (Pomeroon-Supenaam), decreased after the country was hit with mass economic crisis.
While the Regional Democratic Council (RDC) had also made recommendations to Government to have an immediate relaxation on the $5000 taxation imposed on fuel by the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) tax on all fuel, no action was taken. As such, Ashley called out Government for not remedying the months-long situation.
“It is going back up. Some places are $6500 per gallon. A drum of gas is between $48,000 to $50,000 now because the issue still continues in Venezuela. The Government is still collecting $5000 tax for a barrel of fuel and with the recently instituted embargo on Venezuela, you’ll see that will become much more of a problem. The Government has not made any intervention to alleviate the situation,” the Regional Chairman explained.
Two months ago, the prices were as high as $70,000 per barrel and $8000 per gallon since businesses were hiring boats to transport fuel from Charity into Mabaruma. This was over three times the actual cost of $20,000 per drum and was having harsher consequences on communities in the Matarkai District.
Prices for services like transportation in the region had tripled and major projects were suspended as a result of the limited fuel supply in the district.
During that time, requests were made for the Guyana Energy Agency (GEA) and other authorities to look into the ships that are coming to Waini point and purchasing unmarked fuel. The filled drums were then shipped to Georgetown, Bartica and Suriname, causing local dealers to be disadvantaged. Further, it recommended that the State-owned GuyOil supply the region with petrol.