Government concerned about the rise in gas prices – McIntyre

McIntyre

The government has said it will do what is necessary to protect Dominicans from the effects of surges in the price of fuel globally.

Dominica, like several of its regional counterparts, has had to increase the sale cost for gasoline in response to the global rise, which is said to be the result of continued turmoil in oil producing regions in the Middle East.

Dominicans are now paying $14.34 per gallon of gas and government said it understands what is taking place and is very concerned.

“We’re very concerned about what the implications for our drivers and anyone who’s dependent on fossil fuel energy. We are monitoring it closely and we will continue to do whatever it takes to help our people in Dominica,” said Trade Minister Collin McIntyre.

He noted that some other islands in the Organization of Eastern Caribbean States have had to resort to gas price increases higher than what Dominica has implemented.

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47 Comments

  1. Seriously???????????????
    April 27, 2011

    It never ceases to amaze me how many words are required for politicians to say nothing!!!!!!!!!

  2. School mate observing
    April 27, 2011

    Colin Minister!
    Why do you look the way you do? You look high man! Any chance you’ve on something even medical M? This photo look like you have an eyes red and Chilling in the valley-Fond Cani Chill.

  3. ha naw
    April 26, 2011

    concerned…where….Dominicans are proud to be foolish…they manifest that daily!

  4. Big-Bannan (Skerrit tricks)
    April 26, 2011

    There is nothing make poor people feel better than to make poor people feel like they have it better than other people. Economy went bad: Skerrit say we are less affected in the regeion, Gas prices went up: Skerrit tell us we are the least expensive in the regeion. And that phycologically makes us feel good about our situation even if its truely unbearable. But they didnt tell us St. kitts is paying less for water even if there is no river in st. kitts per say.

  5. The usual
    April 26, 2011

    Have they removed the excise tax on gas?

  6. Trouble intended
    April 26, 2011

    Well, all Mr. McIntyre has to do is call Mr. Austrie and tell Mr Austrie to get on the phone with Hugo and find out what’s the problem. McIntyre needs to get the details of the deal with Hugo to keep the prices down. After all, Austrie told Dominicans that fuel prices for them will be low because of the deal with Venezuela. I thought that deal was made and in the books so oil prices for Dominicans should not be going up. Hugo should take care of that. Hugo is doing that for his people in Venezuela, isn’t he? Look at these prices..check the country at the bottom of the list…

    http://money.cnn.com/pf/features/lists/global_gasprices/

    • Anon
      April 26, 2011

      Thanks, Trouble Intended, for the link. It’s really an eye-opener.

  7. Anon
    April 26, 2011

    he Caribbean lacks commodities, it’s not a major producer of raw materials and it has relatively little buying power. Yet China is investing billions there.

    http://www.globalpost.com/dispatch/news/regions/americas/110325/china-caribbean-investment-tourism

  8. Weh
    April 26, 2011

    Government is CONCERN????? That’s all? Are there any long term plan for a solution??

  9. 'tis true
    April 26, 2011

    “…it is so so unfortunate that debates for national development can’t take place in Dominica…”

    This is the crux of the matter. We need to leave politics aside and get down to business.

  10. Brain Damage
    April 25, 2011

    I think we need our Bird Island now to supply us with our oil.

  11. Who the shoe fits!!
    April 25, 2011

    Go call Papa Chavez to cushion the impact. He is the saviour of the DLP government. Pay no attention to the role of OPEC in the cost of energy.
    Why don’t we use the $27 million to set up our alternative energy program instead of using it to build a State Malice?
    Where there is no vision the people perish!!

  12. wiseman
    April 25, 2011

    i wish i could ask the govt what can they do? i guess if they are so good bodies of venezuela and ghadafi why not see that gas be donated to us. what are they trying to say or do? who know? maybe get chavez to download huge amt of gas in reserve for us. too much talk as always.

  13. zam
    April 25, 2011

    The Government is concerned: whats are the concerns and what will be the plan to help Dominicans in such trying times. Red Anz – made a reall goodo point but in truth and in Fact the government was elected to give answers and find solutions- being concerned means nothing without swift action and discipline. That is why – it is so so unfortunate that debates for national development can’t take place in Dominica – because the UWP has remained in the people’ parliament. It is high time for the uwp soldiers to find themselves back in the house in order to help the nation go forward. All now we are breaking a silly record by not having opposition in the house. I think – this is only happening in Da. “Okay they have gotten your point! Back to work!
    Time for politicians to come together and build the Nation. Remember u cannot play politics with Oil. You cannot play politics with Jobs. You cannot play politics with the nation cause if we are not careful – crapaud will smoke our pipe. Those in Authority. must do what they were elected to do. Do not be gallerying and playing politics with every issue. Note to the wise. Do not play smart with foolishness.

    • linky
      April 26, 2011

      THEY CANT DO NOTHING WOTHOUT THE UWP THAT IS WHAT U MEAN

    • That old Speaker in the house
      April 26, 2011

      As the calypsonian rightly informed us all, with that old SPEAKER in the house, expect the opposition to face HELL in Parliament. Skerrit and the DLP Govt. refuse to give a listening ear to anyone with alternative views. The opposition has tried on several occasions to ask questions of national import in the house, but their questions are thrown out or they are asked to re-write or re-phrase the questions to avoid the answers from the Govt. ministers. Remember the Susan Olde affair? Weren’t questions asked about the million dollar matter and Susan Olde in parliament? What happened? Just for attempting to ask the question about Susan Olde and the Million dollar affair, the opposition was taken to court and fined almost a 1/4 million dollars. No response up to now.

      Forget it. The Govt. will never even consider any advice for development of the country even Good advice from the opposition. Answer questions? What about ownership of the VILLAS? What about NO OPEN TENDERS for National Projects? What about so many other issues that the Dominican people want to know about? No responses. No information. What about the MOU? What about the RUBBISH BIN and FERTILIZER BOBOLS? Where are the answers? Which POINT have the Govt. gotten? What about the BURNING ISSUE OF ELECTORAL REFORM that parliamentarians in the HOUSE agreed to? Where is the money to provide the VOTER ID CARDS and to CLEAN UP THE VOTERS’ LIST? Who are in the House presently? There are 2 members of parliament who are there ILLEGALLY because of false declarations to the Electoral Commission on their nomination forms in the 2009 elections. How many care about those issues which are major constitutional breaches? The Laws of the land are being disrespected. many examples could be sited. Dominicans are aware of that. Those are the issues, not just Going back to the HOUSE to legitimize the illegal DLP parliamentarians. They refuse to engage in meaningful debates and to respond to many, many questions. With that OLD SPEAKER in the HOUSE, what Dominicans are hearing is loud, rak-a tak music with NO MELODY OR HARMONY.

    • forkit
      April 26, 2011

      you hit the nail on the head, and you could not be more direct with the issue affecting us. i think it is the government and people like tony astaphans and allick lawerence who have to set things straight by reforming the electorial process,,,

  14. Zenfan Morchoroh
    April 25, 2011

    Brothers and sisters i’m Dominican like you although i live in the usvi. Presently we in St. Croix are paying between $3.75- $3.85 per gallon. Ladies and gentlemen do not forget there’s a refinery ( HOVENSA) right here on St.Croix. Our light bill is among the highest anywhere in the U.S.A. If you think you have it bad think of those of us who have to use an entire weeks pay cheque to pay our utlities and sometimes it’s as much as two weeks pay cheque. Remember around here there’s no such thing as paying half. It’s all or you’re in the dark. Please stop complaining you are not the only ones feeling it. Ma ka meme drive unh s.u.v.

    • IN BVI
      April 26, 2011

      I am in the BVI and oh my gosh! Things are hard all how u turn. Friends and family in DA, don’t think you are the worse. Don’t thnk we are any better than you because we are paid in $US…the truth is you are much much better than we are. I have no neighbour or grandma here to ask for some oil. I have to find money to buy it all.

    • Big-Bannan
      April 26, 2011

      You lie. If it was hard like dat in St. Croix den you would’ve taken your behind back to Dominica. Tell the youngsters in St. Croix to stop the crime and killing tourists and the cruise ships will start coming again like they used too. Dominica is much harder than St. Croix. You talking SUV but some of us still feel like king with a ole pick up truck. Wat SUV you talking about?

      • IN BVI
        April 26, 2011

        @ Big-Bannan, you have it so wrong. Things are not a bed of roses in St. Croix, Tortola, St.Thomas. I am in Tortola and I am now planning my trip back home, I have been in Tortola for 10 years and the last 3 years have been terrible. People from all industries at all levels are feeling the pinch. Some Dominicans in these places who do not plan on going back its only because they have too much pride to say things are hard. I’m not fighting you but trust me, Dominica is not as bad as it seems.

    • forkit
      April 26, 2011

      i think you mad cause a gallon here is almost $15.00 or $5.50us salaries in dominica are lower than any other caribbean country excluding haiti and guyana..
      so there is no excuse about where you live and what you have to pay, i know you are making more money than the hightest paid civil servant so you must be doing something wrong.. lime less and save more so please STFU.

      • ...
        April 27, 2011

        @Forkit, that is the problem i have with you ppl.

        You are suffering from an ‘Inferiority Complex”, what emperical data you have to prove or say Dominicans are the lowest paid in the entire cartibbean save for Haiti and Guyana??

        You are a real A-Hole and need to STFU 4ever you D.A!!!

  15. CONFIRMATION
    April 25, 2011

    the government is always looking at things closely and never doing one darn thing. The us dsnt even know what to do to reduce the gas prices much less for the idiots in goverment. All they say is we will lokk into it and we are keeping a close eye on it. Keep looking when the price is tired of u all looking at it it will drop.

  16. badrep
    April 25, 2011

    If the government really cares it would remove the $3 tax on fuel until the price goes down, but the government needs the millions collected from the fuel tax for its red clinic so it can get elected again

  17. waiting
    April 25, 2011

    Govt. concerned about THE RISE IN GAS PRICES? It was that same Govt. which told Dominicans that even when the price of a barrel of oil rises on the world market, with PETRO CARIBE in Dominica, with the fuel tanks installed in Jimmitt with fuel from Venezuela, the costs of gas and diesel would go down. They told Dominicans Electricity bills would be much lower. Most Dominicans took the bait, jumping, praising Skerrit and his DLP GOVT? What is the REALITY NOW? What is the Minister and Govt. concerned about now? Didn’t they know that it was OPEC which set the world prices for OIL? Who was FOOLING who?

    How much $$$$$ does GOVT. OWE PETRO CARIBE presently? How many Dominicans are informed about that DEBT? Waiting for a response? Could DNO assist us with that DEBT OWED?

    • reggy
      April 26, 2011

      almost $400 million, and some government official milking financies there by setting up companies..ok de bomb will burst

    • Arnold
      April 26, 2011

      that I checking dere, nonsense petrocaribe NONSENSE!!!

  18. Jayson
    April 25, 2011

    Those greedy fishermen put $2 on EVERY POUND of fish regardless of weather the price of gas goes up or goes down!

    • Piper
      April 25, 2011

      If Dominicans had any ambition, more people would get into the fishing business, resulting in lower prices to the consumer. All they do is sit back and complain.

      • Jayson
        April 26, 2011

        Well the only people that going to be complaining in the near future are those same local fishermen.

        Because with the opening of the fisheries in Portsmouth and the ridiculous sky high prices of fish that the locals are charging, the Chinese have been encouraged by the government to undertake local fishing…AND i understood that they will be doing it with large trawlers and high-tech fish-pots with alarm devices ( to counter thieves).

        Yes…I guess more ‘people’ will be getting into fishing after all, resulting in lower prices to the consumer…but not quite the people you were thinking of right??!!

  19. MEEEEEEE
    April 25, 2011

    Look roro! one day the blind will see!

  20. Red-Antz
    April 25, 2011

    government must not make promises that in the long term they may not be able to fulfill. let’s be honest, the high prices for gas right now is a reflection of the happenings on the global energy market. prices will most likely keep going up due to wall street speculations and the conflicts that are affecting the Middle Eastern and African oil producers. remember the price hikes suffered at the height of the Iraqi conflict, now the Libyan situation and Nigeria’s unstable politics all this will only lead to inevitable oil price increases and how much of the extra cost does government have the potential to absorb on a long term basis? how much longer can government subsidize fuel prices?? not even Venezuela will save us from this since being a member of OPEC obliges them to sell internationally at the world body’s stipulated prices.

    i think that government would be better off investing now in some of our alternative energies like solar and wind or create the environment for leading firms in the field to come make such investments if we lack the capacities and expertise locally. the move into geothermal is a step in the right direction but it is still only one step and ultimately we’re going to require multiple energy sources to meet all the energy needs of Dominica.

    Only by weaning ourselves of fossil fuels and finding effective and efficient substitutes are we going to escape the burden of world price hikes in fossil fuels.

    • Life's Like That
      April 25, 2011

      Red-Antz, Very well thought out and very well said. I wonder where are we with the geothermal project?

  21. hmmm
    April 25, 2011

    wat about petrocarib? here in venezuela the cost of fuel remains less than one usd to full up ur tank…so tell me if we buy oil from them something is not right at all. how i know …cause i am living in venezuela.

  22. axa 4 life
    April 25, 2011

    here in anguiila we paying $18.14 for gas so u all down there shouldn’t be crying for $14

    • black boy
      April 25, 2011

      get ur facts

    • Jayson
      April 25, 2011

      Anguilla is flat like a pancake.

      • HMMMMMM(the psychic)
        April 25, 2011

        :-D and Anguilla is 1/5 of Dominica’s size

    • strength
      April 25, 2011

      but what is the average day or hour pay in Anguilla.a laborer in Anguilla is making $100+ per day in Dominica we are making half of this

      • Tehbeh
        April 26, 2011

        Idiot, they pay US$ US$ US$ for rent, food and clothing. So $100 is nuffing. Anguillans run to St. Martin to buy juice and sugar.

    • coshony
      April 26, 2011

      shut your dam mouth. the salaries in anguilla is twice that of dominica. if you are comparing then you gotta compare across the board

  23. for real
    April 25, 2011

    Do not forget, Mr. Minister , that these other islands in the Organisation of the Eastern Caribbean States are paying their employees alot more than we do in Dominica. So the ratio of gas price to salary would reflect much higher in DA.

  24. james bond
    April 25, 2011

    bull , and the song goes on. the government has placed an excise tax on fuel which earns them millions of dollars on every importation of fuel into Dominica. yet they have not invested a black dime but reap the benefit. oil prices has risen on the world market, however the tax of $ 3.00 per gallon of gasoline and $ 2.90 on diesel is placed on every gallon of fuel imported into Dominica.please indicate to the public what mechanism will be used to decreased the cost at the pump?, as the government needs every cent of the excise tax earned from the importation of the fuel?????.

  25. mouth of the south
    April 25, 2011

    do these guys really care???? lets see by how much it will go back down once this oil price gets back to normal

    • Piper
      April 25, 2011

      That is the new normal. Oil is a diminishing resource. As the economies of India dn China heat up, their demand for oil will rise pushing prices even higher. Short of reducing taxes, there is nothing they can do about it. The government does not have the money to subsidize the rising price of fuel.

      • coshony
        April 26, 2011

        ok labourite

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