Transport leader now wants all fuel subsidies nixed

Santo Domingo.- The deputy and head of the bus owners groupedin Fenatrano on Wednesday proposed the elimination of all fuel subsidies forall sectors, despite that transport is among those that benefit the most.

Juan Hubieres said the subsidy is no longer necessarybecause "as fuel is right now it won’t impact fares."

He said if transport is allowed to buy fuel on theinternational market it would do so at 12 pesos, “cheaper than what theGovernment is subsidizing it for them and of top quality.”

The lawmaker and business leader cited several companies heaffirms received the subsidy, including the miner Barrick Gold, which he affirmswas approved in the renewed contract, RD$1.0 billion of premium gasoline and thecompany that built the Coral and Eastern Motorway, which receives a 100 millionpeso subsidy for gasoline. "Withwhat they’ve been given in subsidies and other things we’re left without apenny."

Interviewed on the 106.5 FM ZOL program, Hubieres said that’sthe reason why he calls for the total elimination of the government subsidies,"but it shouldn’t be only on the smaller sectors, but for all."