Operators plan action against fuel price rise

By PETER KORUGL
TRANSPORT operators in the country were yesterday talking about pulling their trucks off the road following the hefty increase in fuel prices approved by the Government this week.
Trucking firm operators will meet on Friday to discuss the impact of the fuel price hike and their course of action.
President of the PNG Road Transport Association John Lacey said from Goroka yesterday that pulling trucks off the road was an option.
Mr Lacey is also the general manager of East West Transport, a prime mover of cargo in the Highlands.
“The increase is massive and it is not justified, if there is any justification, I am not aware,” Mr Lacey said, adding that the transport industry will have to raise the freight charges and pass the costs on to consumers.
He said the new increases had taken the increase in freight charges in the last 12 months to 20% – the highest increase anywhere in the world.
The new retail prices as of last Saturday were raised to 32.3 toea per litre for petrol, 33.4 toea per litre for diesel and 38.2 toea per litre for kerosene.
“This translates to K450 per trip for each of our vehicle between Lae and Mt Hagen. We are not ready to absorb this huge increase,” Jacob Luke, general manager of Mapai Transport told The National.
“There is no consultation between us and the Government ... it is trying to force us out of business.”
Mr Luke said he was seriously considering withdrawing Mapai’s trucks off the road, and said he would discuss this with other players.
The industry also fears an upsurge in fuel theft along the Highlands Highway as the high prices would drive people to steal from trucks hauling fuel up the highway.
In Lae city, public motor vehicle (PMV) operators are already talking about withdrawing their services.
Drivers and their off-siders were yesterday openly telling passengers in their buses that the increases were unjustified and they would pull their buses off the road in protest.