Anadegas suspends sales in Cibao

[NewsWhore]

The National Association of Gasoline Retailers (Anadegas) has started a series of staggered strikes aimed at halting the sale of gasoline and other fuel in the northwest of the country. These demonstrations are in protest against the government's intent to collect an annual "permit to operate" tax on the Anadegas membership. In the first stage of the protests, service will be suspended in the provinces of Dajabon, Santiago Rodriguez, Montecristi and Valverde. According to Diario Libre, the former president of Anadegas in the northern region, Jose Salce, said that the Ministry of Industry and Commerce Regulating Plan aims to collect RD$30,000 from each of the gasoline retailers. Salse recalled that the collection of this tax was established by means of a Presidential decree in 2004, but payment was postponed indefinitely. "Now, in the month of December, we do not know why the government is trying to re-establish the decree and the inspectors from Industry and Commerce are visiting our affiliates in order to force them to pay the tax". After closing a station in Santiago Rodriguez, the ministry accepted a request from Anadegas to allow a waiting period for the application of the collection of the charges for the services provided by the ministry as the regulatory and monitoring entity of the nation's hydrocarbon usage. After the meeting, the authorities at the ministry said that the issue would be taken up again in mid-January.

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