Government Evaluating
Restrictions On The
Consumption Of Gasoline
In the face of high and
ever rising gasoline
prices the government is
considering restricting
the consumption of
gasoline, diesel and
other petroleum products
to reduce the country's
import bill.
A government decree
(executive order) may be
signed in the coming
days laying out the
restrictions, savings
and efficient use of
hydrocarbons.
According to an advance
by the ministro del
Ambiente y Energía,
Roberto Dobles, the
decree would set a
maximum amount of
gasoline the country
would purchase, though
he did not say what the
limit would be, having
to first discuss the
situation with his
counterparts at the
Poder Ejecutivo and
autonomous institutions.
Dobles said that a
meeting of all the
concerned will be held
this week.
Karla González, ministra
de Transportes, said
that the restrictions
would include measures
for consumers to reduce
gasoline consumption.
Tuesday gasoline prices
shot up ¢40 colones for
a litre of regular and
another ¢60 colones
increase is due in the
coming weeks, for
example.
González said that one
of the options being
discussed the
prohibition of vehicles
in San José during the
weekday based on the
last digit of the
vehicles' license plate,
similar to the current
restrictions in place
during morning and
afternoon rush hours.
The minister added that
the school hours may be
also modified, as well
as factory hours, to
eliminate waste of fuel
of vehicles sitting in
traffic jams.
Minister González
reiterated the need to
get the "interlinea"
service running, a
service where buses move
passengers from one
community to another
without having to enter
downtown San José as is
the case now.
The interlinea service
was to have begun last
June 7, but due to
irregularities in the
awarding of the
concession, a court put
the brakes on the
service.
González said that the
restrictions proposal
could be ready in a
couple of weeks.
The final word on any
possible restrictions of
the purchase and
consumption of fuel and
restricting access to
San José will rest in
the hands of Costa Rican
president, Oscar Arias,
who will have to make
his decision after
consulting with his
ministers.
Dobles added that any
restriction that will be
put in place will not
affect public vehicles
like buses and taxis and
as well as emergency
vehicles. The
restrictions will only
apply to passenger
vehicles, private and
public.
Minister Dobles assured
that the restrictions
will not affect the
generation of
electricity and the
distribution of LPG gas
in medical centres. |
