Privately-owned gas stations made further reductions on the price of fuel, days after the state-owned Guyana Oil Company (GuyOil) gas stations slashed prices, following last Monday’s announcement of a 30% reduction on fuel by Finance Minister Dr Ashni Singh.
On Thursday last, Shell gas stations in the country dropped fuel prices by a little over $60. Manager of Shell gas station on Vlissengen Road Robin Lowe told Stabroek News that the price of gasoline was reduced from $219.9 to $154.9 per litre and diesel from $216.9 to 156.9 per litre. He said he did not anticipate those prices rising anytime soon.
Rubis Gas Station on Vlissengen Road lowered fuel prices on Wednesday, a representative said, quoting the same prices as Shell.
Also slashing fuel prices on Wednesday was Two Brothers gas station at Eccles, East Bank Demerara, from $221 to $156 per litre for gas and $217 to $170 per litre for diesel. Rubis gas station at Providence, East Bank Demerara, had not reduced its prices up to yesterday afternoon. Drivers buying fuel there were still paying $221 per litre for gasoline and $222 per litre for diesel. The display board at that gas station was not in use.
Even though minibus and hire-car operators are spending less at the pumps, commuters will not be paying less anytime soon, owing to the still exorbitant cost of spare parts and maintenance, according to operators. “The bus don’t run with gas alone,” a Route 45 bus operator explained to this newspaper on Friday, adding, “with maintenance, you spending more than you earn.”
“GPL [Guyana Power and Light], spare parts and cooking gas don’t drop,” another driver said vehemently. He labelled the current fare as “barely manageable.”
“The drop reasonable but the spare parts going up,” another driver at the bus park added.
President of the United Minibus Union Eon Andrews has since promised to meet with executives to discuss a way forward, in relation to the call from the Ministry of Tourism, Industry and Commerce “to apply conscionable measures by passing on the benefits of the fuel reduction cost to consumers in an effort to ease the cost of living of Guyanese and other residents.”
