The National Association of Gasoline Retailers (Anadegas) regional branch in Santiago and Moca held a work stoppage for six hours late last week to call the government’s attention to “illegal and unfair competition.” The gasoline retailers are calling on the government to put a stop to the “competitive distortions” created by around 2,000 “illegal” fuel vendor points throughout the country. The retailers complained of a considerable reduction in their sales.
The sales boycott affected the provinces of Santiago and Espaillat (Moca). From 6am until noon on Friday, 31 May 2019, more than 200 gasoline stations stopped selling fuel to the public.
Representatives of the association then took part in a protest march that ended on the steps of the governor’s office in Santiago, where a list of complaints was given to the provincial governor, Ana Maria Dominguez, who said that she would send the document directly to President Danilo Medina.
According to Arnulfo Rivas, the North Region representative of Anadegas there is the complicity of government officials in the fuel trade. Rivas says that even Refidomsa, the government refinery, has confirmed the reduction in their sales, and this translates into lower tax collections from fuel sales tax.
Rivas said that some stations are offering fuel at RD$10 and RD$15 less per gallon when the government profit margin for a gallon of fuel is set at RD$18.00. He questions how a station can sell fuel with a margin of just RD$3 and warns motorists to be aware that the illegal vendors may be selling adulterated fuel.
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Diario Libre
El Caribe
3 June 2019