The Ministry of Industry and Commerce increased the profit margins for distributors, retailers and fuel transporters. Minister of Industry and Commerce Luis Manuel Bonetti announced that these would be effective 22 January. He said the government will be giving up RD$590 million in monies derived from the fuel tax, since it will not be passing on the loss in revenues to consumers. The association of fuel transporters was not happy with the new profit margins assigned to them. They said the Ministry of Industry and Commerce had agreed to pay them RD$0.73 per gallon transported, and only authorized RD$0.64 per gallon, up from RD$0.49.
