Dear Editor,
In the North West, Region 1, Guyoil was the only supplier of fuel and their operation was located at Morawhanna. But the government closed its operation approximately six months ago and signed an MOU with a Trinidad company which was supposed to take its place and supply fuel to the region.
The company operated for a few weeks and then stopped its operation. There being no other source of fuel in the region a scarcity arose and prices went high.
To keep the engines rolling, including those of fishers, miners, farmers, etc, the traders are smuggling larger amounts of fuel from Venezuela so that work and activities would continue. And because there is no other source, even the government agencies are supporting the illegal trade when they are supposed to uphold the law, in order to ensure that their activities can continue. These are agencies other than the RDC and NDCs.
The question is asked, where is the RDC getting its fuel from to support its work programme?
The MV Kimbia, a passenger/cargo vessel that runs the North-West route fortnightly, does not have the capacity to take in enough fuel to supply the region.
I recommend that the authorities investigate this situation with a view to putting systems in place to regularize the illegal trade so that if possible the fuel can come in on a legal basis and the traders would get legal employment and the government would receive revenue. Since Morawhanna is already a port of entry and there is also a multi-building which can house various departments for personnel, there should not be many problems.
Yours faithfully,
Desmond Fernandes,
MP