Fuel prices up at the pump

The increase we are proposing is only one dollar per gallon on gasolines and diesel.” Those were Prime Minister Dean Barrow’s words when he spoke of the new Revenue Replacement Duty on fuel prices when he introduced the 2009/ 2010 budget on March sixth. The PM is projecting to raise thirty million dollars through the new fuel tax to help balance the budget. That tax took effect at midnight to bring in April Fool’s Day, but when we checked the pumps today, the P.M. was not exactly on the mark when he said that the prices would spike by a dollar. And if you’re feeling the pinch of economic hardships, a check by News Five found that the prices had in fact gone up by more than a dollar and thirty cents per gallon. We found some drivers that did not think that the difference will affect their pockets, but there were others who were surprised by the rate of increase.

Driver #1
“After I heard the Prime Minister in the House, he said that the price was going up by a dollar but now I noticed that it’s more than a dollar so people need to know, you know. I’m a taxi driver and customers don’t want to pay more. As a matter of fact, when the price went down to five dollars or under five dollars, the people tell you that they want taxi for five dollars or even four dollars. But the price keeps on going up and taxi have to go back to six dollars.”

Marion Ali
“The price noh surprise yoh?”

Driver #2
“Noh really, I still charge di same price fi taxi. I noh wah change.”

Marion Ali
“How much that, five?”

Driver #2
“Five dollars local. When yoh gwein dah casino I charge six cause dat dah weh yoh call dat, fun time.”

Driver 3#
“Noh really think ih wah affect me no way. Ih much better than wah year and change ago you know, much better. Ih goh up a dollar and change, ih noh really matter me. One dollar and thirty-four cents noh wah do nothing to wi pocket. Ih much better than eleven dollars.”

Miguel Vasquez, Assistant Supervisor, Shell One Stop
“A lot of customers expected it was only going to be a dollar but instead it went over a dollar and thirty-odd cents.”

Marion Ali
“Which was the one that went up the highest?”

Miguel Vasquez
“The diesel went up just a penny more than the regular and the super.”

Marion Ali
“So right now it’s at what?”

Miguel Vasquez
“Super is seven thirty-five. The regular is six ninety-nine and diesel is five sixty-nine.”

We were unable to get comments from the Ministry of Finance this afternoon.