Stop bleeding consumers at the pump

Barbados, it appears as if we are being robbed and we’re expected to smile and carry on. On May 23, 2025, the government raised fuel prices once again: gasoline now costs $3.95 per litre, and diesel has climbed to $3.40 per litre. Think about that for a second.

We are now paying the highest average fuel prices in the Caribbean. Higher than Jamaica. Higher than Trinidad. Higher than islands that import just as much, if not more. But the real insult? These price hikes keep coming without clear justification. Global oil prices are going down, yet in Barbados, we are being charged more.

This is not just inconvenient. It is not just frustrating. It is unjust, exploitative, and infuriating.

Can you guess who feels this the most? It’s not the high-level executives. It’s not the MPs with government vehicles and gas allowances. No, it’s you. It’s the nurse waking up before dawn to get to the hospital. It’s the taxi driver struggling to afford a full tank. It’s the farmer, the fisherman, the delivery driver, the working mother trying to make ends meet.

And it’s not just individuals. Small businesses are choking. The price of food is rising. Everything is connected, and it all traces back to that pump.

Every time fuel prices rise, we’re handed the same line: “global markets,” “logistical challenges,” “external factors.” But where is the breakdown? Where is the transparency?

Here’s what we do know: the government stacks multiple taxes onto every single liter of fuel; excise tax, fuel levy, road tax, and 17.5 per cent VAT.

These charges account for more than 50 per cent of the price you pay. Let’s repeat that: half of what you pay at the pump is tax, even when oil prices drop internationally.

So, if taxes haven’t gone up, and global oil prices are going down, why are we paying more?

We’re left with one conclusion: price gouging. Either the suppliers are inflating prices, or we’re being told half-truths about what’s happening behind the scenes. Either way, we’re being played.

Fuel is not a luxury, it’s a necessity. It should not be treated like a high-end product for the rich. It should not be weaponized against the people for profit.

This is not just about economics, this is a moral issue. When a small group profits while the majority suffers, we are no longer a fair society. We are a rigged one.

A few days before this fuel hike was announced, the government declared a $300 solidarity allowance to us. At first glance, it felt like a relief but now we see it for what it was: a distraction. A temporary pacifier before dropping yet another burden on the backs of the people.

We need immediate price transparency. Publish clear monthly breakdowns of fuel prices: how much is importing cost, how much is tax, and how much is supplier markup. No more smoke and mirrors.

A neutral body must audit and verify pricing. No one should be allowed to inflate costs unchecked.

If oil prices drop, our pump prices must drop. If they don’t, someone must answer for it.

Yes, we support renewable energy. Yes, Barbados must reduce fossil fuel dependence. But don’t insult us by using that as a convenient excuse for price hikes now. Solar panels and wind turbines won’t help the woman with three children trying to fill her tank today. The transition to green energy is a long-term goal. We need relief today.

We have been silent too long. We’ve accepted too many increases, swallowed too many excuses, and watched too many families buckle under the weight of rising prices. It’s time to say: ENOUGH.

We are not asking for favours. We are demanding fairness.

Stop bleeding us at the pump!

Fuel price gouging must end. Transparency must begin. And for once, let the people come before the profits.

This is your fight. This is our fight. Speak out. We demand answers. Show us accountability.

Karina Goodridge, chairman of Friends of Democracy.