Fuel price hike take gas to $6.68 a gallon
If you took a road trip over the weekend, you might have noticed you had to put out a little bit more for gas. That’s right, there’s been another price hike in fuel prices. News 5’s Ann-Marie has been visiting the gas stations around Belize City today and here’s what she found at the pumps.
Ann-Marie Williams
While a number of Belizeans were out of town over the Easter weekend, the rise in gas prices came in at twelve midnight on Good Friday without notice. Premium gasoline went from $6.21 per gallon to $6.68. Regular from $5.93 to $6.37 and the pump price of diesel went up twenty-two cents from $4.29 to $4.51.
Luis Martin manages Shell Service Station in Belize City.
Luis Martin, Manager, Shell Service Station
“The cost of transportation of the fuel to the country, the government forced in a way that it needs to raise prices.”
Ann-Marie Williams
“Government told you that?”
Luis Martin
“No, but usually the fuel prices are controlled by government.”
Ann-Marie Williams
“So they put on an extra tax, are you saying that?”
Luis Martin
“I can’t say an extra tax, but especially right now with the war in Israel and world wide I think the gas needs to raise prices.”
And the rise in prices had taximen fuming.
Godfrey Mortis, Taxidriver
“It’s quite bad for the cost of living and the for the consumer, and it’s bad for me because after five or three dollars gas, what can you do? And that government seek something about it.”
Driver #2
“Well right now, we inna trouble because the gas is very expensive and we can’t raise the taxi prices because the people don’t want to ride.”
Driver #3
“It’s kind of steep and it takes a lot out of the taxi operators, because we depend on the public and it’s usually the poorer class of people that use taxi.”
On the other hand, there were those driver who weren’t even aware that it’s costing them more to full up at the pump.
Ann-Marie Williams
“Do you know that you’re paying a little bit more money for the gallon of gas?”
Driver #4
“Nothing you can do bout that.”
Driver #5
“No. Since when?”
Ann-Marie Williams
“Since Holy Saturday morning.”
Driver #5
“Was this announced?”
Well it wasn’t announced, but that doesn’t mean taxidrivers can increase their fares; so passengers, take note.
Godfrey Mortis, Taxidriver
“We cannot charge them more, because the union didn’t say that. And if we charge six or seven dollars, they won’t pay because all they’re used to is five dollars. If I say six dollars from here to complex, they won’t pay me that. All they will give to me is just five dollars. “Why do you want to charge me six dollars and the other taximan charge me five dollars?”
Ann-Marie Williams
“So you will lose your business?”
Godfrey Mortis
“I will lose my customers, so I have to take them for the five if I want to make it.”
In the meantime, drivers are trying to be optimistic.
Driver #3
“I think a little four cylinder would do much better than the six or an eight.”
Driver #2
“I hope it go down, but I don’t think so, not in a hurry.”
Ann-Marie Williams for News 5.
News 5 has been made to understand that the last time fuel prices went up was on March fourth.
