The president of the National Association of Gasoline Retailers (Anadegas), Juan Ignacio Espaillat, confirmed that diesel and gasoline fuel continue to be scarce and that the Dominican Petroleum Refinery and importing companies have reduced their inventories. Espaillat told the Listin Diario that more than 60 of its member gas retailers do not have gasoline or diesel for sale to the general public. The problem is more crucial today because of the fact that the government has not been paying power generators for power supplied and because the private sector is again using its alternate power systems as a main source of power, which need to be fueled with diesel or gasoline, and thus increasing demand for this fuel even further. Espaillat described the present situation as “dramatic” and said that several gas stations are already out of supplies, while regular gasoline is lacking at many retailers around the country. Gasoline distribution companies Esso, Shell, Texaco and Isla are giving priority to the gas stations directly owned by them over the franchises.
El Caribe reports of dire scarcities of fuel in San Pedro de Macoris, San Cristobal, Santiago, Puerto Plata, Mao.