Despite a cut in the excise tax on gasoline, prices at the state-owned Guyana Oil Company (GuyOil) remain the same, which an official explained may be due to stations selling previously purchased stock.
Officials at two of GuyOil’s Georgetown locations yesterday also denied reports of the company being short of fuel. A GuyOil official stated that the company received a new shipment of fuel last weekend. The prices however, remained the same as last week, with gasoline being sold at $215.6 per litre ($970.2 per gallon) and diesel $203.5 per litre ($915.75 per gln)and the official explained this could possibly be the result of having old stock that was still to be used.
Meanwhile, prices also remained the same at the pumps at Shell and Texaco service stations. At Shell, gasoline was sold at $229.5 per litre ($1,032.75 per gln) and diesel at $218.9 per litre ($985.05 per gln). At Texaco, prices differed at two locations. At Texaco’s Vlissengen Road outlet, gasoline is being sold at $229.9 per litre ($1,034.55 per gln) while diesel is being sold at $225.5 per litre ($1,014.75 per gln). At the station’s Mandela Avenue outlet, the price of gasoline is $229 per litre ($1,030.5 per gln)and diesel is $225 per litre ($1,012.5 per gln).
The cut in the tax to 15% was to contain fuel prices and the impact on goods and services, including public transportation. Minibus operators plying several routes had increased fares and government has sought to have them abide by an agreement to stick to previous fare structures as long as gasoline at GuyOil stations did not exceed $1,000 per gallon. Only at GuyOil is gasoline still being sold below $1,000 per gallon.
But bus operators yesterday continued to insist that the gasoline being sold at GuyOil is that of a lower grade. “That gas can mess up your engine,” one operator said. Some have also claimed that they do not get the amount paid for at GuyOil outlets, which is why they favour other gas stations.
