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Opposition Leader Gerry Reid says the province
is about to experience a significant increase in the price of fuel in the
coming days as a result of Hurricane Rita. These increases will take place
as government has just fired the Acting Director of the Petroleum Products
Pricing Office (PPPO) in Grand Falls-Windsor, Mr. David Thoms. "This
province is about to experience another increase in the cost of gasoline,
home heating fuel and other petroleum products," said Mr. Reid. "It is
unfortunate that government’s only response to this anticipated increase is
to fire the Acting Director of the PPPO, Mr. David Thoms, who has been
regulating the price of petroleum in this province.
"It is obvious that this government has no plan in place to deal with
escalating fuel prices. The price of petroleum products could jump as early
as this weekend, and government’s only response is to fire the person who is
regulating petroleum prices. It makes absolutely no sense! There is
currently a communications officer and a junior researcher left at the
office in Grand Falls-Windsor. Who is going to complete the large amount of
work that needs to be done? It is obvious that this could just be another
step in government’s plan to shut the PPPO in Grand Falls-Windsor.
"Firing key officials or eliminating regulation altogether will do
nothing to help the people of this province. Minister Sullivan and Premier
Williams are not willing to give any tax relief to the people of the
province, while they continue raking in record profits on the backs of the
people of Newfoundland and Labrador. This is an absolute disgrace and
everyone in this province should be outraged with the inaction of this
government. Once again, we are calling on government to release their energy
plan, reduce or cap taxes or announce some type of rebate program.
"With price increases on the horizon once again, no director in place at
the PPPO, and no tax relief in sight, I fear that people will have a very
difficult time making ends meet. It is not expected that gas prices will
fall anytime soon and it appears that low income families and seniors could
be the hardest hit by these increases. How long will it take before this
government takes action to help?
"The elimination of petroleum regulation in this province will not help
consumers. Instead of trying to improve the system, government seems content
to let it die. Firing Mr. Thoms was not the solution to this problem and
only makes a bad situation worse."
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