by Thomas
Péralte (Haiti Liberte)
President
Michel Martelly and Prime Minister Laurent Lamothe have decided to dramatically
raise government-fixed fuel prices in Haiti over the next six months despite the
plummeting price of oil on the world market and the Haitian Senate’s refusal to
approve their budget for the 2014-2015 fiscal year. The price hikes, announced
by Finance Minister Marie Carmelle Jean-Marie, took effect on Oct. 10, 2014 and
will rise in three or four increments.
According to the proposed budget
still not approved by the Senate, a gallon of gasoline will rise from its
current cost of $4.38 (200 gourdes) to $4.70 (215 gourdes) until December; in
January 2015, it would jump to $4.99 (228 gourdes); finally, during February
and March 2015, it would be set at $5.32 (243 gourdes) a gallon, a 21.5%
increase overall.
A gallon of diesel over the same
time period would increase from $3.54 (162 gourdes) to $3.87 (177 gourdes) to
$4.03 (184 gourdes) and finally to $4.20 (192 gourdes) in March 2015, an 18.5%
increase.