New Round of Gasoline
Price Increases To Be
Discussed at Public
Hearings
The suspension of
automatic price
increases in gasoline
following a decision of
the Sala Constitucional
(Constitutional Court)
two months ago has left
the the Refinadora
Costarricense de
Petroleo (RECOPE) with a
shortage of ¢4 billion
colones (us$7.7 million
dollars), money it needs
for purchases.
The shortage is an
estimation by the
Autoridad Reguladora de
los Servicios Públicos (Aresep),
the regulator of public
prices and services.
The difference is based
on the price RECOPE pays
for it purchases on
international markets,
which have been
escalating, and the sale
of gasoline products on
the local market.
The accumulated deficit
cannot be confirmed by
RECOPE.
José León Desanti,
executive chairman of
RECOPE, said that the
state agency would have
to do a study for an
exact amount of th
edeficit. "For the
moment I can only say
that we have had to
resort to extraordinary
credit to make
purchases", said Desanti.
The executive asserted
that to not affect cash
flow a reorganization of
procedures for purchases
has taken place, as well
as a changes in
priorities and a
reduction of reserves.
"For the moment nothing
will happen and the flow
of service is
continuing, but it won't
be able to be maintained
forever", assured
Desanti.
To offset the shortfall,
the Aresp is considering
an increase of ¢32
colones for the price of
a litre of gasoline and
diesel. Desanit assures
that increase is just
and necessary.
If the increase is
approved, gasoline
prices at the pump will
jump from the current
¢588 to ¢620 for super;
¢552 to ¢584 for
regular; and, ¢392 to
¢424 for a litre of
diesel.
The price increase will
be discussed at a public
hearing this Thursday in
all eight regions of the
country. The hearings
will begin at 9:00am at
the Aresep offices in
San José and will also
be held in Cartago,
Heredia, Puntarenas,
Liberia, San Carlos and
Pérez Zeledón. |
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