P-to-P, April 29, 2024 [AlterPresse] — The Association of Owners and Drivers of Haiti (Apch) asks the new Presidential Transitional Council (Cpt) and interim Prime Minister Michel Patrick Boisvert to take all necessary measures to make petroleum products available (diesel, gasoline, kerosene) at gas stations in Haiti.
What is important for drivers and owners is to be able to obtain fuel at the prices set by the State in concert with public transport unions, hopes the president of the Apch, Méhu Changeux, in an interview given to the online agency AlterPresse.
This Monday, April 29, 2024, very few public transport vehicles are noticed on various arteries in the capital, Port-au-Prince, due to a scarcity of fuel at distribution stations.
The de facto government of Ariel Henry had announced a slight drop of only 10.00 gourdes (Editor’s note: US $ 1.00=+ 140.00 gourdes; 1 euro=143.00 gourdes; 1 Canadian dollar=98.88 gourdes; 1 Dominican peso=2.40 gourdes today ) on the gallon of gasoline and 50.00 gourdes, on the respective gallons of diesel and kerosene or white gas, from Thursday July 20, 2023.
A gallon of gasoline went from 570.00 gourdes to 560.00 gourdes, diesel (diesel) from 670.00 gourdes to 620.00 gourdes and kerosene from 665.00 gourdes to 615.00 gourdes.
Currently, a gallon of gasoline sells for 570.00 gourdes at the pumps, compared to 1,500 gourdes on the informal market.
A gallon of diesel costs 620.00 gourdes at service stations, compared to 1,000.00 gourdes on the informal market.
The Apch asks the authorities to allow drivers and owners of public transport vehicles to purchase fuel at prices set by the State.
She calls for the resumption, as quickly as possible, of the targeted subsidy program for public transport vehicles.
The official launch of this targeted subsidy program for public transport vehicles, which is in its pilot phase, took place on Tuesday, September 5, 2023, under the patronage of the de facto government of the republic.
This initiative should allow various members of public transport to stock up on fuel with complete peace of mind, thanks to fuel cards.
All national roads must be unblocked to allow the free movement of public transport vehicles, people and goods, demands the president of the Apch, Méhu Changeux.
The Varreux oil terminal (in the town of Cité Soleil) has been closed for several days, after attacks by armed gangs. Access to the Caribbean Port Services (CPS) port terminal also remains blocked.
Armed attacks were also orchestrated by armed gangs to disrupt the swearing-in, on Thursday, April 25, 2024, of members of the Presidential Transitional Council at the National Palaceat the Champs de Mars, in Port-au-Prince.
The Apch urges state officials to resolve the problem of crime, by putting bandits out of harm’s way, and to facilitate the return of thousands of families, displaced by armed violence, to their homes.
During the first quarter of 2024 (January to March 2024), around 2,500 people have been killed or injured due to armed gang violencean increase of 53% compared to the quarter from October to December 2023, according to a report from the United Nations Integrated Office in Haiti (Binuh), published on Friday April 19, 2024. [emb rc apr 29/04/2024 11:20]
