CASTRIES, St. Lucia, CMC – Opposition leader Allen Chastanet says despite a reduction in fuel price that goes into effect on Monday, St. Lucia is still among the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) countries with the highest fuel prices.
“Unsurprisingly, the government has hurriedly reduced fuel prices in an attempt to minimize the damage after my revelation during the budget debate (last week) that they had collected EC$70 million (One EC dollar=US$0.37 cents) more than they expected from Excise Taxes,” Chastanet said on his Facebook page.
He said that the Phillip J Pierre government, which intends to spend an estimated EC$$1.856 billion during the 2023-24 fiscal year, could have used the EC$70 million to shield citizens from price increases on goods and services daily.
“This isn’t a genuine reduction,” Chastanet said, even as he welcomed the reduction, reminding the public that his opposition United Workers Party (UWP)had insisted for months that fuel prices could and should be lower given the current economic environment.
“The government can do more to help you out,” Chastanet said, noting that every individual, household, and business use fuel, cooking gas, and electricity.
A statement from the Ministry of Commerce, Manufacturing, Business Development, Cooperatives, and Consumer Affairs, said that in keeping with changes in international oil prices and the government’s application of the modified market pass-through petroleum pricing mechanism, the retail price of gasoline, kerosene, diesel, liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) cylinders has changed.
It said the gasoline price has decreased from EC$3.74 to EC$3.63per litre or EC$17.00 to EC$16.50 per gallon, kerosene price decreased from EC$2.97 to EC$2.60per litre or EC$13.51 to EC$11.81 per gallon, while diesel decreased from EC$3.74 to EC$3.63per litre or EC$17.00 to EC$16.50 per gallon
The government said the LPG 20 lb cylinder is subsidized at EC$14.73 per cylinder, and the LPG 22 lb cylinder is subsidized at EC$16.21 per cylinder.
“The public is informed that the next adjustment of the retail price of fuel products will be on Monday, April 24, 2023,” the government added.
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