The Bahamas Petroleum Retailers Association (BPRA) voted to strike last night because the government would not increase fuel sales margins the retailers claim are unfair. The gasoline retailers gathered at the British Colonial Hilton where 25 retailers, representing 85 percent of the service stations in New Providence, agreed to stop purchasing gasoline from their suppliers until the government increases their sales margins.
"We no longer will use our funds to buy a product that we have to sell at a loss," said the group's margin relief chairman Oswald Moore.  "Once we strike it means that whenever we break that strike we expect to be in a position to sell our products at a profit."
Moore said the BPRA has asked the government to increase the sales margins for retailers to $0.74 per gallon for gasoline and $0.47 per gallon for diesel.
Their sales margins now are $0.44 per gallon for gasoline and $0.19 per gallon for diesel.
Moore said they have been mistreated, as the fuel margins have not changed in over 30 years.
"We have borrowed as much money as we can borrow and we have subsidized the industry as long as we can and we can no longer do so," said Moore.
Minister of State for the Environment Phenton Neymour, whose portfolio covers petrol, told The Nassau Guardian yesterday before the strike vote that the government is considering the issue of raising the margins. However, he could not say definitively if the margins would be increased.
The retailers said last night that they are tired of waiting for the government to make the move and they have decided to come together to force the government's hand through a strike.
"The decision to strike tonight means that we need a positive end to the journey we have been on," said BPRA interim president Philip Kemp.  "We need relief and we're very serious about it."
Moore said the retailers have gone into debt attempting to keep their stations afloat under the current margins.
"We have had a lot of meetings already," he said.  "We are at a position right now where the banks are calling to put us out of business.  We cannot operate under that stress any longer."
There are, however, some service stations not directly affiliated with the BPRA.
At least one gas station owner, who wished to remain anonymous, said he will keep his station open during the strike.
The retailers would not say when their strike would officially begin.  However, they said they would allow for a cooling off period of a few days before action is taken.

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