Prime Minister Dean Barrow meets LPG importers

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Prime Minister, Rt. Hon. Dean Barrow met with importers of liquid petroleum (LPG) in an effort to clarify what role they will be playing in the new regime that is being implemented by the Government. A few weeks ago, the Government passed legislation, which will see the establishment of a new structure by which LPG will be imported in Belize. Under the new regime, the Government will establish a private-public company, which will be responsible for the importation of the fuel into the country. Under this arrangement, the Government will hold a 25% shareholding in the company to ensure that Belizean consumers get the best price possible for the LPG.
Following the meeting with the importers on Wednesday, October 2 the PM explained that the current importers will not be completely cut out of the picture. He said that the new company’s exclusivity, “is confined to the sourcing of the butane. That way we control the pricing, and we know that nobody can give us figures that are perhaps questionable. But, the actual transportation of the LPG is to be done, not by the National Gas Company. In effect, what the National Gas Company will do is to invite people to bid. You tell me – and first preference will be given to the current companies, the current operators. You tell me at what price you can bring in the LPG that’s needed, landed at Big Creek, and we will see if there are others that can bring it in cheaper. We want to be sure that the prices at which the LPG is landed is going to be cheaper than the price at which currently the operators are bringing it in,” said PM Barrow.
In the end, PM Barrow noted that the new arrangement will give full control of pricing to the local company because the company will control the importation of the LPG.