Propane gas shortage poses threat...

By VonDez Phipps
Reporter-SKNVibes.com

SANTO DOMINGO, Dominican Republic - FOLLOWING a shortage in propane gas (GLP) yesterday (Aug. 31), many vehicle owners and homemakers are now feeling the unfavourable impact.

This shortage has been a growing threat to the country since early January of this year and had granted governmental discussion in relation to curbing the problem. Propane gas also became scarce early last week, although the authorities explained that it was because of delay in supply due to bad weather.

On January 19, the Presidency Administrative Minister, Luis Manuel Bonetti, had announced that the government intends to keep the GLP subsidies, which were slated for removal in February. Bonetti claimed that the IMF had not expressed any opposition to the move and did not, at that time, foresee any major limitations.

He explained that the situation had developed because a shipment of gas from Texas and Trinidad did not contain the proper gas and this delayed delivery. Bonetti also said the recent shortage of GLP is over.

However, after eight months, the shortage has still been able to pose “a difficult point” to the country as gas stations are not getting fuel at the full capacity. Many stations ran out of fuel last Saturday and are still waiting to be resupplied.  ~~Adz:Right~~

Yesterday, major gas stations in the Santo Domingo province were closed for business, while many other stations in the Santiago area had only enough GLP to last until Saturday and were not certain as to when they would be resupplied.

According to Victor Reynoso, Head of the distributors grouped in Asonadigas, “We are only receiving 60 percent of the amount we require to keep the market supplied.”

This problem has put hundreds of public passenger vehicles out of service while at the same time has caused long lines of vehicles to crowd gas stations.

At the moment, the Industry and Commerce Ministry has not yet disclosed the reason for the propane gas shortage.