Communities in Region Seven dependent on fuel supply from neighbouring Venezuela, have been hit with a fuel shortage as a result of the crisis and prices for commodities have increased sharply, Regional Chairman Gordon Bradford told Stabroek News.
Speaking on the issue, Bradford yesterday told Stabroek News that communities such as Eteringbang and Mango Landing have reported to the regional administration that they are affected by the fuel shortage. He stated while other communities sitting on the border might be experiencing a shortage, the regional administration has not received any reports.
Bradford explained that the prices of commodities in the communities have increased and work at mining operations has been halted.
“The price of fuel has caused prices to increase sharply and many are not working. There is a domino effect in these communities because of the crisis in Venezuela. Persons are depending on fuel from Georgetown and the only way fuel can get to some of these areas are with planes,” Bradford added, before explaining that this method is costly. He noted that because of the topography, overland vehicles are unable to travel to some communities.
“Mining operations are not operating because either they don’t have fuel or because the price for fuel is too high,” he added.
It is almost three weeks since the fuel shortages have taken a toll on economic activities in the border communities. With this current issue, officials from the Guyana Energy Agency and Guyana Oil Company Limited (GUYOIL) are to meet today to discuss measures that can be put in place to curb the shortages.
Last week, Stabroek News reported that the shortage of fuel in Region One (Barima-Waini) has taken a toll on the daily operations of the Regional Democratic Council (RDC) and residents due to fuel prices tripling in the region.
Brentnol Ashley, Chairman of the region, had explained that persons are now paying between $75,000 and $100,000 for a drum of fuel. Ashley said depending on the location of villages in the region, the price for five gallons of gasoline varies between $8,000 and $15,000.
Taxis in the areas have also raised their prices from $1,000 to $3,000 and $4,000, and minibuses have also increased their return fare from $600 to $2,000 and $3,000.
Like Gordon, he too had pointed out that the mining industry in the region has been heavily affected due to the high fuel prices.
Since the shortage, Ashley said some persons have been sourcing fuel from Charity, Region Two, but lamented that the prices have tripled.
The region has been battling with fuel shortages, a development which has resulted from the crisis in Venezuela, for approximately six weeks. The region, under the past administration, was allowed to purchase fuel at a low cost from suppliers in Venezuela.
