Though Speaker Rafaela Alburquerque had announced it as imminent, the Chamber of Deputies was unable to approve the long-pending bill on Hydrocarbons and Fossil Fuels yesterday. A heated debate over the bill?s new amendments, which were proposed by a bi-cameral committee, led to a walk out by the PLD Party?s deputies. When the PRSC Party Deputies followed suit, the quorum was broken, making the vote on measure impossible. At the heart of the dispute was the protection of the interests of the retail gasoline distributors, who deem prejudicial the inclusion of a DR$18 per gallon tax for premium, and a DR$15 per gallon for regular, gasoline at the pump. The original bill had called for DR$15 and DR$12.5 respectively. Following the walkout, the measure was tabled along with 21 other items on the Chamber?s calendar.
