I am prompted to write this letter principally because my question to "why is the price of diesel fuel more expensive than the highest octane gasolene" remains unan-swered, and also given that the current price of crude oil, why is the end product at the pump still so high?

Three or so months ago the price of crude rose to US$147 per barrel. At the time, we were paying retail in the region of J$100 per litre for gasolene. Today, when the price of crude has dropped to US$45 per barrel, the price ranges between J$40-$50 per litre depending on where you shop.

Compare this to the United States from whence it appears we take our cue and we will find that, at peak, gasolene rose to US$4 per gallon. Today, the average is around US$1.25.

My observations have been that whenever there is an increase abroad, the local reaction is immediate, but the same is not true whenever there is a decline - neither in speed of action nor percentage of downward adjustment.

The last announcement on price reductions saw diesel falling by over J$2 per litre and I looked forward to a similar adjustment at the pump. The best I was able to come up with in the Corporate Area was a drop of 60 cents per litre.

I am not sure whether this is the result of free trade or fair trade, but I would suggest to the minister of trade and industry that if he thinks that the consumer is only being exploited by the food merchants, then I would invite him to view the broader spectrum and he might be amazed at what he sees.

I am, etc.,

H.W. SHARP

Kingston