Trade Minister, Dr. Vince Henderson, has said that the government is doing its best to alleviate the current gasoline crisis in Dominica, saying things will be back to normal within the next few days.
Speaking on state-owned DBS Radio on Tuesday morning, he blamed “severe weather conditions” which he said affected the transfer of gasoline from Antigua to the island and said that shipments of fuel are expected in Dominica on December 22, 25 and 27.
“I want to assure everyone that we are doing our best, we have been working on this for the last several days and we are confident that we will see the levels of gasoline get back to the levels that will eliminate the long lines and the rationing,” he stated.
Henderson pointed out within the past weeks both West Indies Oil Company, the main supplier of fuel to Dominica, and the Ministry of Trade had informed Dominicans that fuel supplies will be affected by sea swells and strong winds.
This, he said, prevented fuel vessels from berthing at the Petrocaribe facility in Jimmit to deliver the precious commodity.
He gave the assurance that the situation will be brought under control in the coming days.
“We expect a shipment from West Indies Oil Company Limited, our main supplier (which) supplies gasoline to Petrocaribe and also to the other fuel suppliers on island,” Henderson stated. “So we are expecting a shipment on the 22nd (of December).”
He gave an explanation of how gasoline is brought to Dominica and how the weather situation affected delivery.
“West Indies Oil Company Limited, out of Antigua and Barbuda, is our main supplier of gasoline to Dominica,” he said. “They order the fuel, they take it to Dominica, to the Petrocaribe facility and that supply is distributed to the main suppliers on island. Now, in order to get the shipment out of Antigua and Barbuda, first the fuel gets to Antigua and Barbuda with a big tanker. So the fuel ship that gets to Antigua is a bigger ship and then there is distribution along the island chain. So the fuel is then loaded to a smaller vessel that comes to Dominica. What happened over a week ago is the ability of the larger vessel to dock in Antigua and as result they were not able to load the smaller vessels to head to Dominica. That triggered a whole series of action resulting in the delay of the vessel getting here to Dominica. And that is what has really brought us here.”
He said in addition to the expected shipment of gasoline to the island on the 22 of December, there will be others on December 25th and 27th.
Henderson also addressed the situation of fuel storage in Dominica.
“That situation is being addressed,” he remarked. “We have taken the decision, I have received the support from our prime minister, clearly we need to deal with the issue of storage to ensure that we can have adequate supply of fuel. The plan essentially is to ensure that we can get storage to higher levels. In addition we will be looking at facilities that store Jet A1 fuel, especially as we move to the construction of an international airport. So we are looking at the whole storage of fuel as part of our strategic plan towards a more resilient Dominica. We are working on ensuring that we can build immediately with preventing what happened, of course occasioned by the severe weather, that we will ensure that we can deal with that situation moving forward.”
For the past days there have been long lines at gas stations in Dominica. The situation has caused massive traffic jams in some areas and frayed nerves as consumers jostle for the product.
Skerrit is a bobo, which must be removed before it bleeds us to death.
May I suggest that the sea swells were ‘caused’ by Skerrit himself because it was him that failed to negotiate with Rubis at the time. The same by the way can be argued with the Ross affair. The fuel shortage is self inflicted! The solution is an easy one: pay your bills in time as per your contractual commitments! But Skerrit believes he is in charge but yet again, it’s the people of DA that will have to pay for Skerrits pig-headednes and his consistent squandering and misappropriation of government funds. In closing, I would argue we can’t afford this CM any longer. Antigua, St. Lucia, Grenada etc. don’t suffer any fuel shortages. Henderson and Skerrit will argue that they don’t suffer any sea swells…!!! There we go!
look the reset allu was looking for
“this government that did nothing to encourage Rubis to stay in Dominica.”(Wilson).
And so, we remember that rather than removing some of tax burden on RUBIS, to allow them to operate; yelling a profit Roosevelt as usual ran his mouth off playing big, talking about how he was going to complain to the French Government about “RUBIS.”
How stupid can one person be?
It is the same stupid way he conducted himself in regards Ross University School of Medicine; rather than building an International Airport; he went out talking crap, about all he has to do is weld four cargo containers together, to be used as accommodation for arriving and departing passengers; in addition to leveling the ground as the airport runway, and passenger aircrafts in the range of 777’s will fly out of the United States to land in Dominica mud!
Such nonsense could have deduced only in the mind of a mentally derange delusional mind. Well Americans are not stupid as the Dominica kind, and so they left.
A lot of people wonder how could anyone support Donald Trump given everything that is known about him? All you need to do is look at the Dominican electorate.
Skerrit has been underperforming and lying to Dominicans for years and yet he keeps being re-elected to parliament.
I really can’t feel sorry for Dominican people who behave foolishly. You made your bed…….(you know the rest).
Once he gives them free alcohol, seewo, and handouts they will believe anything he says.
Imagine settling for a little rum, sewo and a handout when your country is falling apart in front of you. Can’t get more foolish than that. Rum and sewo not always dere nun?
Well said, the comparison to Trump is no joke, it’s the exact same situation. Likewise, I can’t feel sorry Dominicans and think the people deserve better but Nope, allu put him there and continue to settle for petty handouts.
Fuel shortages on islands appears to be the norm in recent times. Vince’s explanation doesn’t hold not one glass of water. Those of us who have common sense and are open-minded must remember that the Labor Party Faithful is devoid of common sense. That’s the same Vince who was charged with the Geothermal Project. Fifty million dollars later and counting, the Return On Investment for the Dominican Citizenry is a “Big Fat Zero.” We were supposed to supply Martinique with electricity and to date, Laudat has not yet received not even One-Kilowatt of electricity. Labor continues to sell empty promises to gullible souls who refuse to hold them accountable for their continued foolishness, after more than two decades in office.
It’s shocking to think that in this day and age they don’t have sufficient storage on Dominica to allow for fuel supply hiccups as described.
Or maybe the reason behind no fuel goes deeper than sea swells.
…but they want an international airport! I guess they believe that those large aircraft fly on sea water. These kind of aircraft have fuel capacity of over 40,000 US gallon. I guess Skerrit would tell them, come back tomorrow or the day after. You see how pathetic this CM is? He just hasn’t got a clue
A joke that man??? You guys can’t be serious!!! Pure foolishness and madness that. The utter mismanagement and lack of foresight. JESUS look how dominica come. Don’t EVEN for one minute make the statement that it’s out of your control. This isn’t happening anywhere else! St lucia or Guadeloupe or Barbados. This is a foolish government of inept individuals. Another damn haiti
The best you can do is to pay for the products you all recieved previously, sold it but rather than paying the owed bill as usual the majority of the money went into the pocket of some Dominica billionaire, and millionaire.
In business where people exchange money for goods they don’t have time to sympathize with any poor backwards country where a few thives are living in wealth and luxury while these thieves in government can’t find the resources, revenue to pay civil servants.
Elizabeth, are you and ds aware of that?
That is the kind of Dominica we are dealing with under Roosevelt Royer.
My biological surname is Telemaque got it from my biological daddy I have nothing to be ashamed about.
If father was or is a crook son must be a crook.
And that is why Dominica is in disarray at this moment!
You see that Antigua, Dominica and West Indies oil story Vince trying to sell there. Boss I see the Brown, Skerrit and Choksi story all over again and that’s very scary. Only difference is in the Choksi story the sea was rough.
Every motorist on island knows there is a big difference between gas from West Indies oil company and Petrocaribe.
But Vince gave us the impression that’s the same gas brought down by Westindies oil and distributed to other gas stations on island but Hell No! They aren’t the same Vince!
I hope Dominica is not getting petrocaribe oil from Venezuela that has embargo placed on them and Convince and Skerrit trying to lie again? Remember when Dominica flagged Tankers were involved with distributing oil from countries that had embargo placed on them? Gason I smell a rotten rat somewhere
Dr Vince Henderson left me with a lot of questions.
1. Sir, where is the big ship that cannot come to Dominica is coming from? Is it Russia, Venezuela, Trinidad etc? Where?
2.Sir, since when West Indies oil company is our main supplier of gasoline? What percentage of gasoline they supply? Did they replace RUBI, s that use to supply us with 70% and we never had a shortage?
3. “West Indies Oil Company Limited, out of Antigua and Barbuda, is our main supplier of gasoline to Dominica,” he said. “They order the fuel, they take it to Dominica, to the Petrocaribe facility and that supply is distributed to the main suppliers on island. Dr if that’s the case then why is West Indies oil gas stations on island have all been closed the last 4 days while others are selling periodically?
4. If according to you West Indies oil brings the gas and distributes to other companies why then oil from West Indies station is good but everyone has a problem with gas ftom petrocaribe? Thou shall not LIE
My God if that’s the best the government can do then according to Roosevelt Skerrit, choo pool. You got rid of Rubis that was supplying 70% of fuel on island and Christmas week Dominicans cannot go out because of no fuel? Persons that paid for rentals so they could enjoy their vacation can’t go out? Boy choo poul eh
Hello and good afternoon my people. Well if you don’t pay the company to import the gasoline into Dominica how do you expect to have gas and we don’t have storage capacity. Dominica is the only island that’s talking about see swells for not having gas because they think we are just stupid. I have my ticket to come home for carnival and my reservation for my rental vehicle but if I can’t get gas to drive the vehicle then why should I come home. Well I will just have to go to Trinidad carnival.
The minister of Trade said, on DBS this morning, that the reason for the gas shortage was “severe weather conditions”. What he failed to qualify is that his was commenting on this current gas shortage. But he needs now, to inform the nation of the cause of the shortage which occured last month, in November 2022. Was it blamed severe weather conditions?
And on both occasions, the ministry of trade kept telling the public that there is sufficient gas on island, we should not panic, there is no need for consumers to store gas, and no need to rush to the petrol stations. Not the minister is saying something else and with all the gas they say that’s on island, petrol stations are empty. They do not have gas to sell.
Come straight with the citizens of the Commonwealth. Don’t mislead us for foolishness like this.
For a government that has been in Power for 20+ years and just got a reset you still cant get it right ebeh! Chineese bring some rice for Skerrit and let Dominica over night in it!
Since I know myself growing up in the fishing village of Scott’s Head, during the Christmas season, there were always sea sweals, Dominica never experienced shortage of fuel during Christmas because of high sea sweals.
What I can remember is that boats coming out from Martinique with our Christmas goodies would be struggling to beach our goodies for us. Nothing like fuel shortage because of high sea sweals. SHAME, SHAME, SHAME.
These Reset Politicians really believe that they can fool the educated masses.
Lies that and people eating it up. When the swells stop and there is no damn fuel still make story
You all are sick all you need to get a life I guess you all have nothing else to do they should close the place like covid so I want to see what you all doing with gas they should raise it to 50 dollars a gallon
Utter nonsense.
One of liar Skerrit attack dogs, is upset of the truth….!!
Skerro, you miserable soul, is that you want for your fellow Dominicans. Boy you worse than Scrooge. I will donate a candle for your redemption and if you don’t want to burn it you can eat it so you’ll know what it feels like to go hungry this Christmas.
Stop talking foolishness. Is there any intelligent people left. Can’t we see that these guys are taking us down a path of no return??
So you think if what you wishing for happens, you will be free from its effects?
You will be the first to come bawling “neighbor, neighbor, lend me two dollars to buy sugar”.
But I want you then to remember on thing. “DOE COMPLAIN”
……….
Clearly Vince your best is not good enough. If we cannot organise an adequate reserve on island to take care of these hick ups our entire economy suffers as well as our reputation as an investment and tourist destination. Your Prime Minister too stubborn to make a deal with Rubis and now we all suffering. Be honest and now he is letting you clean up the mess. You will always come second or less to that bully friend of yours, trust me.
They should make the PM and his acolytes, line up for gas for their vehicles like everyone else.
Obviously your best is not good enough. Why not just say, “The dog ate my homework”, avoid all these lame explanations, and admit that this government couldn’t run a rum shop.
Is the captain of the ship delivering the gasoline ⛽️ a UWP supporter lol
More like a DLP supporter but he not inclined to deliver unless he get paid first. Is that greed or common sense?
Henderson, all you doing your best is just simply not good enough!! Stop telling us about heavy sees as well. It’s pure nonsense. The reason we have a supply issue is a very simple one, fuel bills haven’t been paid for in time or not at all. These fuel merchants are not interested in dimples but only hard cash. The sooner all you realise that this government is dragging us all down, the better it is for our country. We still don’t know why Venezuela had to write off USD100million. Could there be a connection??
Dominica is a land of continual frustration and misery. The agony never stops. It’s a miraculous task to even maintain your sanity.
Roosevelt and his submissive disciples never accept blame but deflect it on everyone and everything else.
It is predicted that an economic recession will hit the world in 2023. Things will get dire. If this economic forecast is accurate, just imagine the immense suffering in Dominica.
This is pellucid. The present pilot of the country is uniquely unqualified for his present position. Expect the economic,social and political conditions to rapidly deteriorate. You can’t put a landscaper in a surgical theater and expect any sort of positive outcomes. The position of that office is way above the Evil One’s (Roosevelt) intellectual capacity.
Take that in all you boom boom. You see what I mean? Vince Henderson is the minister of energy, now? All the labor supporters must be happy now that the UWP people cannot get no gas ⛽️ Is come it coming. Hey! I’ve got news for all the labor supporters who are feeling the pinch of gasoline – Go full your tank with Sea water. It’s not only UWP people who are now sucking salt. Hey! Expect cooking gas shortage next. Don’t forget the monkey who said, “I RUN THINGS.” You didn’t know that a monkey could talk? Daniel Green had some in Morn Daniel in the 1960s they use to curse! I saw them myself when as a boy I use to dweevey all there for Julie Mangoes 🥭. Well, Mr. green died and so did his monkeys. But oh boy….That man must be turning in his grave to know that there is a Black two legged Monkey living on his estate in Morn Daniel.
Why can we be a bit more meaningful and civil in our comment?
These websites and articles are viewed / read worldwide. The things we say / write are a reflection of us; indicates how we think, our mentality.
Let’s step up.
Haha😂😂😂😂😂You have kicks bruv. Can’t control myself😂😂😂
The “Reset” spoken about by liar in chief, showman Skerrit, has dawned upon Dominica very early..This government malfunctions in myriad ways..With the exit of Rubis, didn’t those clowns knew that additional storage was urgently required? Do they even know that this crises affects every sector on island? The small business owner, the government employees, the baker, the farmer, etc, etc, are all victims of Skerrit’s ineptitude. Will we soon see the energy sector owned by the state?Was it their great master plan?
Who owns the fuel facility at Jimmit? Is it the state, or a few greedy individuals? Who are the ones getting free fuel there? and why? For how long has this been going on? Is it for donkey years? Who are the players involved?
Hmmmmmmmmmmmmm.This country is in serious DAY BAR!!!! Those who are too blind to see will feel…!!
Don’t know what Skerrit’s master plan is bro but judging by all the evidence before us it is not great. But that too shall pass My fellow Dominicans. Have a joyous Christmas nonetheless.
Your best was to reduce the 30 cents per dollar on every gallon…thus allowing Rubis to operte viably.
Your best was to debunk the lies of your PM ” Rubis is greedy” when you know sure well that Rubis has not paid corporate taxes for the past 11 years because they are operating at a loss.
Your best is to speak the truth even if it goes against “your” God.
That will be your best !
Everything there is a lie. They did not negotiate with the main supplier in Dominica and the supplier pulled out. Rubis supplied everyone. That’s all that happened. When Rubis was in Dominica we never heard about sea swells.
Massive traffic jams indeed, Sunday was terrible. Real commesse for hours — and not a policeman in sight to control the traffic. How come?
They have better thinks to do. Guarding the CM, his Ministers and some members of the cabal. That’s why law and order is non existent in DA nowadays.
The Rubis withdrawal has seriously affected storage capacity. No mention of this by the ministers because it was this government that did nothing to encourage Rubis to stay in Dominica.