The Minister of Commerce and Industry (MCI), Jonas Coffy, gave a press conference yesterday Monday, October 12, 2020, in order to warn certain owners of gas stations who have decided to close their service (including National, Sol, DNC, and Go).

During this press conference, the holder of the MCI, recalling his mission to protect consumers, formally ordered these owners of gas stations to reopen their service without delay in order to continue supplying the population.

Otherwise, they risk falling under the penalties provided for by the laws in force, until the names of their companies are removed from the registers of the Ministry.

The Minister also stressed that the Haitian State is in no way responsible for this decision taken by these owners of gas stations. It would be a conflict between owners of gas stations and companies supplying fuel, he said.

So under no circumstances this internal private sector conflict make the country dysfunctional.

However, Minister Jonas Coffy encourages the parties concerned to sit down in order to find a compromise to this internal problem of the oil sector.

However, to justify Jean Pablo Sylvain, head of the national association of owners of gas stations (ANAPROSS), said that the government violates the contract between the State and the oil companies by deciding not to respect its obligations. "The state is changing the price structure. Many investors do not want to invest because the State authorities do not want to give the counterpart". These striking oil companies including Go, National and Total are demanding from the State a sum of money provided for in the signed contract. They threatened to remain on strike until the demand was satisfied.

HL/ HaitiLibre