Cheaper Fuel For Fishermen

Details

Economy

Thursday, 19 April 2012 02:30

By Everton Barnes

Antigua St John's - A new fuel depot is slated to open on Thursday to provide cheaper fuel to fishermen than gas stations.

The depot inside the Point Wharf fishing complex is a joint undertaking of the West Indies Oil Company (WIOC), the Antigua and Barbuda Fishermen's Cooperatives (ABFC), and the government.

Managing Director of WIOC Joseph Fernandez said the fuel will be sold exclusively to Co-operative members, at a cost that does not include the government’s consumption tax. He said this translates to savings (in today’s prices) of $2.27 per gallon of gasoline, and $2.24 per gallon of diesel.

WIOC has installed a storage tank, pumps, and other infrastructure to make the facility operational. “The pumps are portable, which will allow them to fill up vessels located some distance away," Fernandez explained. "Additionally, the tanks have been made secure to withstand hurricanes and other natural disasters."

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He said the cheaper fuel is the government’s effort to help keep the cost of seafood down.

Meanwhile, ABFC President Len Mussington said the facility is available for all fishermen, with some conditions. “To benefit, the fishermen must be members of ABFC who agree to abide by the fisheries policies laid down by the Fisheries Division," he said. "Secondly, they must be regular contributors to the government statutory bodies - the Social Security Scheme, Medical Benefits, and the Board of Education."

He said the facility will be properly regulated.

There are about 1,000 fishermen in Antigua & Barbuda, and about 230 of them are members of ABFC. “I anticipate that we will have a windfall in registration with the coming into operation of the fuel depot, as many fishermen have stated that they wanted to see action before becoming members of the cooperative,” Mussington said.

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