Propane - are you being ripped off?

posted on: Feb 8 2010 11:37 by Royston. Viewed 156 times.


Transporters and housewives backed the inspections in the packaging of liquid petroleum gas (LPG) that are being carried out in the capital and elsewhere in the Dominican Republic and demanded action against those who defraud consumers including the repayment of thousands of millions of pesos.

The National Institute of Protection of Consumer Rights (ProConsumidor) announced the co-operation of the Ministry of Industry and Commerce in inspection work at gas stations.

Truck drivers and housewives requested the authorities to extend these operations to all parts of the country to stop the fraud which they say has gone on for years with complaints to the authorities going unheeded.

The president of the Association of Housewives' Committees, Rosario Lopez, stated that although the director of ProConsumidor, Altagracia Paulino, had reported that 50% of the LPG stations commit fraud against customers, "for me I believe it is 98 % of the stations, because that is the eternal cry of the housewives.”

While the president of the National Carrier Union (CNTU), Ramon Perez Figuereo, said that on Monday he will meet with the drivers, housewives, neighborhood associations and various social groups to create a campaign  not to buy LPG for a day, with the goal of persuading LPG station owners to stop bad practices.

The masterplan for National Fuel Standards was established by Resolution 212 of 10 October 2003 so that service stations or premises for the sale of gasoline and LPG bottling plants operate under the control of Industry and Commerce, through Directorate of Hydrocarbons.

The decision to carry out inspections under the National Fuel Standards regulations was covered by Law 358-05 on Protection of the Rights of Consumers and Users. This was announced after a working meeting held on Friday at the headquarters of ProConsumidor, with inspection technicians and Fiordaliza Santana, deputy director of the agency.

Ramon Perez Figuereo of CNTU said his members would block entrances to gas stations to publicize their claims.

He said authorities should not only bring to justice those who commit fraud, but  should also require them  return the billions of pesos stolen, which could help reduce the price of LPG.

He explained that the scam in the bottling of LPG is possible, because most stations close the gas supply before removing the hose, resulting in the last portion of the delivery being air. Consumers are unaware they have been robbed until they discover how little time the newly filled bottle lasts.

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