Motorists across Antigua and Barbuda are expected to find relief following the decision by service station dealers to reopen their stations after talks with Prime Minister Gaston Browne.
The development follows concerns over the profit margins being earned by dealers, which led to a number of service stations remaining open but temporarily withholding the sale of gasoline as dealers pressed for an increase in their margins.
Following discussions with the Prime Minister, an agreement was reached for the service stations to resume normal operations while the government examines the concerns raised by the dealers.
Prime Minister Browne has announced that the government will establish an expert team to carefully examine the issues affecting service station operators. The team will review the concerns raised by the dealers and provide advice to Cabinet on whether the margins earned by service station operators should be adjusted in the future.
The move is expected to bring an end to the uncertainty experienced by motorists, many of whom had been rushing from station to station in search of fuel. The reopening of the stations should now allow for a return to normal fuel distribution across the country.
The government’s decision to appoint an expert team also signals that while the immediate disruption has been resolved, the wider concerns of service station dealers will be given further consideration as efforts continue to find a fair and sustainable solution for all parties involved.
