Petrol station owners hoping for an ease with next directives

With the current COVID-19 directives expiring in 11 days, president of the Petrol Dealers Association of Barbados (PDAB) Aldo Ho-Kong-King, is eagerly expecting changes to some of the existing protocols.

Government is expected to announce any planned changes next week as part of the Emergency Management COVID-19 Directive No.11 and Ho-Kong-King is hoping gas stations will get an ease and be allowed to re-open fully on Sundays and bank holidays.
Directive No.10 came into effect from May 18 and will end on June 7.

Last week, Attorney General Dale Marshall rejected a request from the PDAB to allow gas stations to fully open their automarts on Sundays and bank holidays.

In an interview with Barbados TODAY, Ho-Kong-King he was hoping changes would be made to accommodate those in the sector.

“We are expecting a protocol change next week so there is really not much longer to go. The truth is we’ve not heard a reason for retail to be closed on those days. Considering that this week the Minister of Health came out and announced that we’ve finally met the targets we were trying to achieve, I think that certainly opens the door for most businesses to re-open,” Ho-Kong-King said.

When asked if there was any possibility of gas station owners opting not to operate if there is no change to the current directive, the president said he could not say.

He explained that it was up to the individual owner to make that decision just as some gas stations remained closed last Monday while others opted to open.

Ho-Kong-King said the association was also well aware of the important role gas stations played as an essential service and did not want to negatively impact Barbadians.

“Gas stations are very much aware that they are an essential service and are not like other organisations on the island. Having had calls from several organisations which required fueling and its importance to them, a lot of that has been considered,” he said.

Ho-King-Kong denied a report that Prime Minister Mia Mottley had intervened and ordered gas stations across the country to remain open last Sunday and Monday bank holiday as a “flagrant lie”.

He said no such action took place.

Last week, a public notice was circulated which advised persons that they would have greater access to fill up at gas stations on Sunday rather than on Whit Monday.

The action was in response to Government’s rejection of the PDAB’s request. (randybennett@barbadostoday.bb)