OVER THE past few months, I've been observing and documenting how Petrojam has been manipulating the prices of petroleum products sold on the local market. I have written about three letters to the editor within the past year on this issue.

It has been my contention (and still is) that Petrojam has not been passing on the fall in world oil prices to the consuming public. This I supported with data in one of my letters to the editor last Christmas Eve.

Profound shock

So having concluded that Petrojam was making a windfall from the fall in oil prices, I was confounded and amazed to hear some time ago that Petrojam was making a loss. So, can you imagine my profound shock, now to hear that Petrojam owes the Govern-ment over $4 billion in taxes, and also requesting a waiver on over $2 billion of that amount!

Something is definitely wrong at Petrojam. Imagine, products in which you can adjust the prices weekly, and you declare a loss! And to add insult to injury, Petrojam wants to deprive the country of needed revenue to amounts which can run some government ministries for a year. I would say no to any waiver. But guess what? We will make up for these losses and missing taxes. So expect unexplained hike in petro-leum products over the next few months.

This one isn't going away so easy, not while I can pen my usual letter to the editor.

I am, etc.,

GERALD CAMERON

gccameron@flowja.com