Gas prices in St. Thomas Photo Credit: ROBERT MOORE/VI CONSORTIUM
ST. THOMAS — With a few exceptions, gas stations on St. Thomas are keeping a firm grip on high gasoline prices, despite the global plunge in oil prices. Instead of dropping the per-gallon price by a few pennies — as station owners on St. Croix and St. John have done — station owners are not giving St. Thomas motorists a break.
“Unfortunately, our St. Thomas suppliers are giving us a hard time,” said Gov. Albert Bryan on Friday. "But we are going to be putting pressure on in the worst way to get those gas suppliers to come down with their prices.”
Department of Licensing and Consumer Affairs Commissioner Richard Evangelista said gasoline retailers are being urged to examine the costs of operation and to “pass on the maximum amount of their fuel product cost reduction possible” to consumers.”
Mr. Byran, Mr. Evangelista, and VI Department of Health Commissioner Justa Encarnacion provided the Government House end-of-the-week pandemic update from St. Croix, where motorists enjoy the lowest per-gallon gasoline prices in the territory. St. John is seeing some price reduction.
“Prices will be going down further, as we apply the pressure,” Mr. Bryan said. “We are getting good cooperation from our St Croix vendors and our St. John vendors. Unfortunately our St. Thomas suppliers are giving us a hard time but we are going to be putting pressure on in the worst way to get those gas suppliers to come down with their prices.”
“I applaud the fuel wholesalers and retailers that are lowering fuel rates at this time. These lower rates will provide some very needed economic relief to the community. COVID-19 has created many unforeseen economic hardships for persons in the community. I encourage every fuel service operator to examine its daily cost of operations and to pass on the maximum amount of their fuel product cost reduction possible to the consumers of the Virgin Islands,” said Mr. Evangelista.
DLCA conducted the territory-wide bi-monthly fuel survey between April 15 – April 17. The lowest price for both self-service regular and self-service premium were found in St. Croix. St. John had the lowest price for self-service regular in the St. Thomas/St. John District. The lowest price for self-service premium was found on St. Thomas.
The survey should be available for comparative viewing Saturday on the DLCA website at www.dlca.vi.gov.
According to the DLCA prepared statement Friday evening:
On St. Croix, the lowest price for self-service regular and self-service premium fuel were found at Ziggy’s Island Market LLC at $1.999 and $2.399 per gallon respectively. Two weeks ago, the lowest price for self-service regular and self-service premium were $2.329/gallon and $2.909/gallon, respectively for a decrease of $0.33 and $0.51. Today, One Love Station -La Grande Princess – Golden Rock – Hannah’s Rest, notified DLCA that tomorrow morning, Saturday April 18, 2020 it shall have the second lowest price for self-service regular at $2.109/gallon. Five Corners Service Station came in second with the lowest price for self-service premium at $2.909/gallon. The lowest price for diesel remains unchanged from two weeks ago at $2.750/gallon at Super Tank Service Station.
On St. Thomas, the lowest prices for self-service regular fuel was found at Petrus Frenchtown, Polyberg and Smith Bay at $3.099 per gallon and the lowest price for self-service premium was found at Racetrack for $3.459/gallon. Two weeks ago, the lowest price for self-service regular and self-service premium were $3.369/gallon and $3.689/gallon, respectively for a decrease of $0.27 and $0.23. Racetrack came in second with the lowest price for self-service regular at $3.159/gallon. The lowest price for diesel remains unchanged from two weeks ago at $3.49/gallon at 1st Stop stations.
On St. John, the lowest self-service prices were found at Racetrack at $3.05/gallon for regular and premium and $3.25/gallon for premium. Two weeks ago, the lowest price for self-service regular and self-service premium were $3.639/gallon and $3.799/gallon, respectively for a decrease of $0.58 and $0.54. E-C Gas Station came in second with the lowest for self-service at $3.09/gallon for regular and $3.29/gallon for premium. The lowest price for diesel remains unchanged from two weeks ago at $4.05/gallon at Racetrack.
The DLCA also released the latest rack rate prices issued by Gulf Oil at Lime Tree Bay Terminal effective April 20 – April 26, 2020. The new rack prices with the .14/gallon tax remains unchanged from last week’s rate at $0.96 for regular, an increase of $0.01 from last week for premium fuel at $1.02/gallon and an increase of $0.01 from last week for diesel at $1.31/gallon for diesel (ULSD). Currently, the rack rate quoted is only available for the District of St. Croix. Fuel retailers for the District of St. Thomas/St. John purchase fuel from more than one fuel wholesale supplier. As soon as DLCA receives the wholesale rates for each fuel supplier for the District of St. Thomas/St. John, it shall publish the information.
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