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Gas Price Hike At
Midnight
Today is the last day to
fill up your tank with
cheap fuel prices as a
new wave of price
increases takes effect
at gasoline stations all
over the country at the
stroke of midnight.
Super and regular
gasoline will jump ¢60
colones per litre and
diesel ¢88, despite the
promises by the
government to subsidize
the price of diesel
fuel.
The increase is based on
the latest approval by
Autoridad Reguladora de
los Servicios Públicos (Aresep),
which will soon deal
with the later request
by Recope, the state
refinery, for yet
another gasoline price
hike, which is expected
to take effect in
August.
At the stroke of
midnight, gasoline
stations will change the
price of a litre of
super from ¢656 to ¢716,
regular from ¢644 to
¢704 and diesel from
¢622 to ¢710.
This is the first time
that diesel fuel costs
more than gasoline.
Traditionally, diesel
fuel had been much
cheaper - a little over
half the price of a
litre of regular
gasoline - spurring an
increase in sales of
diesel powered passenger
vehicles.
If and when the
government subsidy that
is stalled in the
Legislative Assembly,
the Aresep said it would
immediately roll back
the price of diesel
fuel.
If the latest Recope
request to raise fuel
prices by ¢16 colones
the price of super
gasoline and diesel and
¢17 for regular,
gasoline prices in
August will e ¢732 for a
litre of super, ¢721 for
regular and ¢726 for
diesel.
In addition, the
government's proposal to
offset the diesel
subsidy is to raise the
tax on gasoline prices,
sending the price of a
litre of regular and
super gasoline well over
¢800 colones.
The only hope for
gasoline prices to come
down - by way of subsidy
and stalling the tax
plan - is if legislators
approve increases in
taxes in items like
tobacco and liquor, a
possibility being
discussed by a number of
legislators.
For the meantime, the
high fuel prices are not
leaving many with any
choice but to start
leaving their cars at
home and take public
transportation to and
from and work. Weekend
trips with the car will
also be affected.
For example, the cost of
bus fare to and from
Playa Jacó from San José
for two adults and a
child is about ¢5.000
colones, while the cost
of gasoline used by an
economy car is about
¢15.000 colones at
today's prices.
The sharp rise in fuel
prices in Costa Rica is
a direct result of the
rising price of crude
oil on world markets
which is nearing the
us$150 a barrel. |
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Many have no option but to
leave the car at home and take the bus to and from work
and weekend trips, as gasoline prices hit record highs.
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