Dangerous traffic THE ILLEGAL sale of petrol is flourishing despite three massive fires since January, one death, and millions of dollars in damage. In-depth reporting by the Sunday Gleaner has disclosed that many illegal outlets are operating in Kingston and others in Montego Bay and Trelawny where one person was burnt to death two Sundays ago in the latest incident. Despite the routine assurances about security measures maintained at the Petrojam refinery in Kingston, the product is somehow sneaked out into tankers to feed the illicit trade. Despite routine denials by the National Workers Union, speaking for tanker drivers, the petrol gets carried into a dozen ill-equipped 'gas stations', dangerously close to residential communities throughout Kingston and St. Andrew. Despite the three-man team of inspectors which the Ministry of Mining and Energy said it has put into the field, the trade continues to flourish. The buck is passed to the police which is said to be the agency with power to seize equipment. The police in turn say they have made some arrests in the course of seizing more than 100 barrels of gasolene; but they insist that there should be more focus on the source, the refinery loading rack where only tankers contracted by nine marketing companies are served. Hundreds of motorists risk the hazards involved to buy the cheaper black market product. And, as the Sunday Gleaner report indicates, legal retailers are losing from the illegal competition. The million-dollar penalty now in effect may have some effect, but chances are many will still try to beat the system. Corrupt collusion must be involved. So long as lives and property are at risk the refinery, the police and marketing companies must together stamp out this dangerous traffic. The opinions on this page, except for the above, do not necessarily reflect the views of The Gleaner.
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