Some motorists are conscious of price changes; others, however, said they donﾒt pay any great attention to them, but simply pay up.
According to the latest information from the Ministry of Local Government and Consumer Affairs, the cost of a gallon of gasoline in New Providence and Grand Bahama is now very near the $5 mark, and has exceeded it in all Family Islands.
In New Providence, the ministry says the price per gallon at Esso stations is now $4.74, up from $4.64; at Texaco stations itﾒs $4.83, up from $4.54; and at Shell stations itﾒs $4.77, up from $4.52.
The new prices of a gallon of diesel are now pegged at $3.62 per gallon at Esso; $3.66 at Texaco, and $3.62 at Shell.
At Esso stations on Grand Bahama, the per-gallon cost of gasoline is $4.80, and diesel is priced at $3.66. Gasoline at Texaco is now priced at $4.89 while diesel is priced at $3.70. Sun Oilﾒs price for a gallon of gas is $4.83, and diesel is priced at $3.66 per gallon.
A gallon of gasoline is priced as high as $5.31 in Crooked Island, Acklins, and Mayaguana.
Residents on other islands like Eleuthera are paying $5.26 per gallon of gasoline.
Motorists in New Providence had mixed reaction on Tuesday to the new increases.
“Itﾒs like everything else; itﾒs something that is needed that you have to acquire,” said Solomon Knowles, one of those motorists. “So we have to just go there, buy our gas and try to be conservative.”
Mr. Knowles told The Bahamas Journal that he believes that Bahamian motorists, especially those in New Providence, need to strategize when it comes to using fuel and saving money.
“Itﾒ something that you have to get in order to get from point A to point B,” he said. “But if you have things to do in a particular area, they should all be done at one time so you donﾒt use a lot of gas.”
Corron Miller, a College of The Bahamas student, said he believes the time has come for the government to seriously address the issue of improving the public bus system. He believes that with a safe, reliable and efficient service, more people would use public transportation.
“Government needs to come together to improve the pubic transportation system, so we could have [fewer] cars on the road,” Mr. Miller said.
“Gas is getting too expensive; sooner or later something is going to have to happen. Gas is almost five dollars a gallon hereﾅpeople have to live.”
Petra Saunders, another resident who was paying a bill at the General Post Office yesterday, added, “I donﾒt understand this. The price of living is going up. Something needs to be done and fast.”
After collecting his mail yesterday, Greg Roberts, another resident, said everyone in public would prefer not to see such increases, but he said he realized that because of the world situation there is nothing much anyone in The Bahamas can do about high fuel costs.
“Iﾒd definitely prefer [higher prices] rather than see the government get into bed with [Hugo] Chavez and Venezuela,” Mr. Roberts said. “Thatﾒs a definite thing. I would rather pay the higher price than to get in bed with communists.”
Bertram Miller, another motorist, said it hurts sometimes to look at the gas gauge.
“So, if the dealers and the government can get together it would be very good,” he said.
Officials say high fuel costs continue to impact the cost of living in the country. The International Monetary Fund and the Central Bank have both expressed concerns about these high prices placing a burden on the economy, which otherwise is projected to show strong growth.
By: Stephen Gay, The Bahama Journal
