![\"\"](\"https:\/\/dominicanewsonline.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/gasoline-consumers-642x331.jpeg\")
<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
After waiting in line for nearly 12 hours, Helbert Vidal expressed relief at having the chance to fill up his pickup van which he says has been sitting in his garage for the entire week without petrol.<\/p>\n
\u201cMan, I can’t begin to tell you how excited I am,\u201d the farmer stated to Dominica News Online( DNO). \u201c For an entire week I have not been able to get to my farm because of the distance and the lack of fuel and this really took a toll on me.\u201d<\/p>\n
Following a nearly seven-day gas scarcity on the island, Vidal was one of the 100 locals that lined up or stood in line at the various gas stations yesterday, December 23, 2022, to buy fuel.<\/p>\n
\u201cI have never experienced such nonsense in Dominica in my 67 years in this county,\u201d he said. \u201cThis is chaos and it\u2019s the average man who\u2019s really feeling it. The situation needs to be addressed as a matter of urgency.\u201d<\/p>\n
Like the farmer, several people who DNO spoke with at the gas station in Canefield and Roseau expressed relief that they could fill up their tanks, but they also said that the overall scenario is disconcerting since it raises many concerns about what might occur in the coming days.<\/p>\n
According to Karem Reid, if the situation with Rubis is not resolved, this is merely the beginning of residents of Dominica’s new reality.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s also very taxing because I am here waiting to spend almost 200 dollars, which could have gone to buying something for my kids for Christmas, instead I have to spend it on gas, as I am fearful that if I don’t and wait till I get paid next week, then it will be too late,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
Fishermen from various parts of the island, \u00a0the majority of whom claim they have not been able to venture out on the water to catch anything since the shortage, have asked that steps be taken to accommodate them in the future.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe should be able to go to the fisheries division and fill up our containers, we should not be there in the line struggling with everybody else to get gas,\u201d one stated.<\/p>\n
Anthony Cordel, a senior bus driver who believes that their line of work should be given precedence, has also voiced similar worries and demands.<\/p>\n
The senior bus driver who has also been unable to work for the week believes that reserving a petrol station for those in his profession solely will make the process go more smoothly.<\/p>\n
\u201cAt the end of the day, without the bus drivers transporting people to and from where they need to go the country cannot run,\u201d he declared as he stood in line at 9:36 pm last evening.<\/p>\n
Several vehicles were already queued up when DNO arrived at the numerous petrol stations in Canefield this morning, just before 7:00 am. Determined to fill up their tanks, some of the vehicle owners said they had been up since 2 am waiting in line.<\/p>\n
The authorities attributed the current predicament to rough seas and announced that petroleum shipments are also anticipated on the island on December 25 and 27.<\/p>\n
On Thursday, Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit declared that his administration would expand Petrocaribe’s gasoline storage space and sign a deal with a local gasoline provider to establish a national reserve in case fuel delivery to the island encounters difficulties.<\/p>\n
He did not specify the provider or a timeframe for when the storage capacity will be increased.<\/p>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/dominicanewsonline.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/Image-01-3-642x329.jpeg\")
<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"After waiting in line for nearly 12 hours, Helbert Vidal expressed relief at having the chance to fill up his pickup van which he says has been sitting in his garage for the entire week without petrol. \u201cMan, I can’t…","protected":false},"author":15,"featured_media":296151,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_cbd_carousel_blocks":"[]","footnotes":""},"categories":[18,279,235],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-296150","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-business","category-energy","category-homepage-carousel"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n