I do believe I’m missing something important in the Jamaica Gasoline Retailers Association (JGRA) protest action against Esso. My understanding was that with all the Esso Service Stations closed for two days Esso would lose enough money to force them to change their pricing mechanism. The public would still be able to access gasoline from the other dealers and the only ones really feeling the squeeze would be Esso.
So why is the JGRA now planning to close all service stations island wide for two days? It makes no sense to me at all. This action would only serve to create Island wide panic and every one would lose, all the distributors, all the dealers and the public.

Follow up:

Executive Director of the Fair Trading Commission, Barbara Lee, today said that if the JGRA goes ahead with tomorrows protest they would be breaking the Fair Competition Act by restricting supply to the public. The fines for such actions are as high as 5 million to a company or 1 million to an individual.
Today motorist rushed to fill their tanks at the news of the possible closure of all petrol stations starting tomorrow. Needless to say this caused lengthy delays and mass confusion. Somehow I don’t think this was the intention of the JGRA.
It’s evident that the members of the JGRA are determined to have this matter resolved in such a way that all the Dealers have a fair chance at survival. Reports are that an emergency meeting was called late today. Let’s hope that common sense will prevail and that the entire nation will not be held to ransom.
Nuff Love