TREVOR Heaven was returned as president of the Jamaica Gasoline Retailers Association (JGRA) at the association’s annual general meeting held last Saturday at the Wyndham Hotel in Kingston.

Heaven is serving his second consecutive term and fourth as president of the association of service station owners across the island.

“I am happy that the members saw it fit to return me as president,” said Heaven, who first served consecutive terms from 2004 to 2006.

Heaven added that he looked forward to continued participation in the development of the local gasoline retail trade, bearing in mind the current problems facing the industry.

Other members of the JGRA executive committee for the 2011/1012 administrative year are Derrick Thompson, first vice-president; Errol Edwards second vice-president and Bobby Hammond, third vice-president.

Immediate past president of the JGRA is Trevor Barnes.

The JGRA was formed in 1950 and July 1953, was registered as a trade union.

The association’s mandate and objectives include the promotion or opposition of legislation and subsidiary legislation calculated to affect the interest of its members.

It also serves as a reference and contact point for members of the public seeking redress.

According to Heaven, the JGRA has been contributing significantly to the development of the country’s economy for over 50 years.

But he adds that the JGRA has also been fulfilling one of its prime objectives — that of protecting the general interests of its members and providing benefits that would otherwise be unattainable.

While JGRA members dispense gasoline, for the most part, marketing companies branding the dealership own service stations.

Its membership presently embraces over 85 per cent of service stations across Jamaica.