A labour leader in Grenada has called on the Keith Mitchell-led government to address the rising cost of kerosene on the island.
The official who called THE NEW TODAY complained that the price of kerosene which is used mainly by the elderly on the island has been rising constantly within the past four months.
He noted that the ruling New National Party (NNP) government of Prime Minister Mitchell did not place a cap on Kerosene as it was several months ago with gas in order to make it affordable to motorists at $15.00 a gallon.
He said that in December the price was $9.42 per gallon for kerosene, and in January it went to $10.44 per gallon, as well as $11.58 in February and in March the price went up further up to $13.79 per gallon.
According to the Labour leader the price is now set at $14.53 per gallon – a difference of $5.11 cents from the price in December.
He said that unfortunately no one in government is apparently paying attention to these constant and steep increase in the price of kerosene which is often purchased by the poorer persons at the community level.
“That is supposed to be the poor people’s fuel – it is the little old lady who does go and buy kerosene for their lamp and thing”.
The labour leader said he suspected that due to the failure of the government to put a cap on kerosene that market forces are at play and primarily responsible for the huge rise in the cost of kerosene on the island in recent months.
He stated that the Mitchell-led government might have “dropped the ball” where kerosene is concerned and just “let it loose” so that market forces can determine the cost of every gallon of the fuel sold in Grenada.
He called on the Energy Department of government to give consumers an explanation for the huge increase in the cost of kerosene on the island.
THE NEW TODAY was told that there is a 2 cents difference in the price of kerosene sold in St George as opposed to the countryside to take into consideration the cost of transportation.
Kerosene is only sold at two major outlets on the island – one in Gouyave, St John and the other in Grenville, St. Andrew.