Tuesday, January 13, 2015 | 6:57 PM
KINGSTON, Jamaica — President of the Jamaica Gasolene Retailers Association (JGRA), Leonard Green, is hopeful that retailers will get a fair deal on Wednesday at the meeting to be chaired by Energy Minister Phillip Paulwell, between itself and RUBIS Energy Company.
However, he told the OBSERVER ONLINE that the matter would “remain unsettled” if the dealers are not treated fairly.
The dealers and the marketing company have been at loggerheads since late last year, over the stringent terms in their new contracts, which the JGRA head said could put some dealers out of business.
“We believe that it’s not really settled until we come to an equitable solution and that is what we are fighting for. We are not unmindful of the interest of the company. Our arguments are very well grounded,” he contended.
Green said the dealers are prepared to negotiate as long as there is progress in the negotiations.
RUBIS marketing manager, Raymond Samuels, is insistent that the contracts are not one-size-fits-all, and that the company is prepared to negotiate new contracts with each dealer.
“Each dealer is different, so clearly you have to manage them individually. So those terms such as whether they pay cash on delivery, secured or unsecured credit, those have to be done on an individual basis,” he said.
Meanwhile, Paulwell told the OBSERVER ONLINE that he is aiming to broker a long-lasting settlement between the parties.
“We just can’t afford to have any disruption in the industry at this time,” he said, adding, “Eventually we are going to involve all the marketing companies, because we need to have a long-term solution.”
Alphea Saunders
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Gasolene retailers, RUBIS Energy Company to negotiate tomorrow
