Dear Editor,

Over the years the Petroleum Corporation of Jamaica has been issuing gas prices for the cost of its products on a weekly basis with no explanation or justification. I am puzzled why no one can explain the method used to arrive at the prices.

What’s more, I would like to know if there is an oversight body, do they check the gas station pumps and regulates which marketing companies are using pricing methods to exploit the populace?Tell me, how is it that when gas prices increase it goes up immediately at the pumps, but when it declines it does not come down immediately? How is it that when oil on the international market was being sold for US$35 a barrel we in Jamaica were paying around $115 per litre, And now that the price is more than US$73 a barrel we are paying $145 per litre? As bad as my maths may be, I can see without calculating that something is wrong with the conversion. Can we have an explanation?

Collectively we are tired of being robbed, and to add insult to our injury, the recent scandal of activities at Petrojam refinery makes me wonder, what is really going on? Does Petrojam and its managers think the rest of us in Jamaica are fools?

I’m asking for new management like that installed at National Solid Waste Mangement Authority or National Housing Trust, so that Petrojam can be of greater benefit to Jamaicans and not just a select few.

Joseph Edwards

jdocforreal@gmail.com