The association of gasoline retailers Anadegas has voted unanimously in favor of cash-only transactions in the sale of gas to the public. This move, which will inconvenience many consumers, is said to be “an act of solidarity due to the problems some of our members have had with the banking sector,” in the words of Anadegas president Juan Ignacio Espaillat. The retailers also plan to shut down their stations from 12pm to 2pm on Monday as a protest against the government’s price adjustments which have eaten into their profit margins by as much as 25%. If the action does not have the desired effect, the shutdown will be repeated on Thursday, and if the problem persists, they will stop buying fuel altogether from the wholesale distributors, said Espaillat. Although diesel (gasoil) shortages continue in some parts of the country, such as the north-eastern city of San Francisco de Macoris, the overall situation has improved. The newspapers are reporting that most OMSA (metropolitan bus service) buses in the capital and the country’s second largest city, Santiago, are out of service due to the fuel shortages.