By Elesha George
The process to offer a 25 percent fuel price reduction to bus drivers, taxi operators and fishermen is expected to begin as early as next Monday.
The reduction was scheduled to take effect on Friday, however General Manager at the Antigua and Barbuda Transport Board, Hubert Jarvis, said while facilitation systems are already in place, they have not yet received the vouchers to hand out to the service providers.
Distribution of vouchers, he said, is based on a certain quantity of fuel which is indeterminant at the moment.
Finalisation of the process is anticipated to take place early next week.
The government is imposing the subsidy to cushion the impact of the increase in the prices at the pumps and to prevent that cost from being passed on to commuters.
On Friday morning, members of the Public Transportation Union (PTU) met with Transport Board officials to discuss the implementation of the subsidy.
Following the meeting, Jarvis said the reduction in price is a continuation of assistance for bus drivers, which has now been extended to taxi drivers and fishermen who were not previously receiving fuel relief.
Bus operators benefitted from reduced gas prices during the Covid-19 pandemic to make up for losses when Covid protocols forced them to reduce passenger numbers.
Observer was unable to reach PTU officials up to news time.