One month and 20 days into the much ballyhooed fuel conservation program, nobody can say just how much fuel is being saved. The speed bumps and the scrapped vehicles still clutter many streets, and the engines of the OMSA buses have not yet begun to be exchanged. While billboards and radio and television ads proclaim “Light by light, gallon by gallon, we shall save the nation!,” the authorities have yet to say just how much or what has been saved. And even though the President outlined seven key measures during his 11 September speech to the nation, most of these have yet to be implemented. In fact, the sales hours for gasoline stations had to be expanded, and the rules applied to the distributors of GLP (propane) as well. The alternate work days for the “publicos” that service routes in Santo Domingo and Santiago have yielded mixed results after a couple of delays. Some speed bumps were removed, but the resulting potholes are just as big a detriment to swift passage as were the original bumps. According to Listin Diario, few of the government dependencies have succeeded in reducing their fuel consumption by the proposed 20%, and nobody knows when the proposed designated bus lanes will be introduced. The OMSA buses that run on gasoline have yet to be switched to diesel, the stand-by generators to provide electricity for the stop light system have yet to be installed and junk cars being used for public transportation have yet to be removed from service. The people are still waiting for the five million low consumption light bulbs. Reporter Jose Javier says that while the wind energy project in Bani has been announced, there has been no real media campaign to push through the proposed Renewable Energy Bill through Congress. However, the private sector, more through necessity than by desire has imposed its own fuel conservation programs. More careful planning on essential trips to save gasoline, and earlier closing times for some services, such as banks, also produce savings. Gasoline retailers report that the earlier closing times for the sale of fuels is saving 5.0 megawatts of energy. The Dominican banking association, the ABA, said that fuel savings by the commercial banks could reach as much as RD$500 million over the next year.