Presidential Administrative Secretary Luis Manuel Bonetti revealed that the government has renegotiated the RD$1.1-billion debt owed to the propane import companies so as to resume the purchase of liquid propane gas (LPG) supplies. The financial debt is the main reason behind the acute scarcity of propane gas that began following the 16 May election in which former President Hipolito Mejia lost his bid for re-election. Bonetti said that the flow of 44 million gallons of LPG in shipments from Venezuela and Trinidad & Tobago should end the scarcity by October. New shipments are expected this Sunday, after dispatches that were suspended due to the storms in the area have been resumed.
Bonetti commented that the DR is especially vulnerable to hurricanes, as all its refueling stations are located on the southern coast. He said that in the future a North Coast terminal must be built.