More Gas Problems for Motorists
Premium, regular and diesel gasoline remain the most sought after commodities tonight, amid a shortage of fuel that has been affecting consumers since Tuesday. An expected shipment of fuel was delayed at the port, but a fleet of tankers did cross the western border today with petrol that should hold us over. Today, News Five’s Isani Cayetano found that motorists are still in search of gasoline and are not happy about the shortages.
Isani Cayetano, Reporting
A consignment of fuel has arrived overland from neighboring countries in Central America. These tanker trucks are waiting in line at Puma’s fuel depot on Caesar Ridge Road where they will discharge several thousand gallons of petroleum. The delivery comes ahead of another shipment from the Gulf Coast that is scheduled to arrive in country sometime today. Until that batch of fuel is distributed to service stations across the country, the shortage of petroleum persists and its affecting everyone, including cab drivers.
Tyrone Sampson
Tyrone Sampson, Cab Driver
“Di business mi done bad already, now wih noh got no gas. How wi wahn move?”
Many of the service stations that were closed for business on Tuesday remain shuttered as there is still a scarcity in fuel supply across the country. The few that remain open are prorating the little that is left.
Christian Carillo, Gas Attendant, Puma Pound Yard Gas Station
“Well we mih got wahn lee lotta rush because, yoh know, right now di gas kinda scarce so people di do everything and full up and all ah dat right now, bring gallons and soh. Dehn di rush offa gas and soh.”
Christian Carillo
Isani Cayetano
“Did you guys get a supply of gas this morning?”
Christian Carillo
“Yes, yes. We get five hundred gallons of regular like ‘round nine, ten and before two o’clock ih already finish.”
At Puma Pound Yard, this commuter bus will likely drive off with the remainder of fuel that’s available at the service station. Business at this active location has taken a significant hit due to the shortage of gas.
Christian Carillo
“Ih affect it wahn real lot because, ah tell yoh, dehn got sohn people weh cohn full up dehn car and bring gallon but right now we cyant full no gallon fi dehn yoh dig. And eena di car, we only could gih dehn approximately bout fifty dollars or seventy-five dollars di most dehn could get because yoh have to thing di gas so ih could stay equal soh everybody could get cause only five hundred gallon we get dis morning.”
For Tyrone Sampson, a seasoned taxi driver, that paucity has cost him several lucrative jobs within the past twenty-four hours.
Tyrone Sampson
“I couldn’t move yesterday ‘til twelve o’clock because no gas deh. I miss two airport [runs], ah miss other running around and dehn people noh give we back no money. P.U.P. and U.D.P. noh give we back nothing unda no relief. I gotta strive for myself, soh I don’t know what these people are doing. These people really gotta get their act together because people di get tired of it.”
As Puma Energy explained in a press release on Wednesday, the delay in delivery is attributed to bad weather that was being experienced in the Gulf Coast. The ever-increasing cost per gallon of fuel is also something that is hurting the pockets of all motorists, including Sampson.
Tyrone Sampson
“Mexican gas gone up five cents and riot bruk out, Jamaican gas gone up five cents [and] war bruk out; Belize gas gone up one dollar, two dollars and nothing happen eena dis country. We gotta wake up and realize what these people are doing to us, I mean these people are raising gas and then dehn di cry about… Da weh di money di go ‘cause we di get tax pan it, so weh di money di go and unu keep on raising it soh high? Da weh unu wahn do kill us? Pandemic done di kill us, now gas? A mean di government gotta tighten up, people di get fed up.”
Reporting for News Five, I am Isani Cayetano.
