By St. Pauls News Team
August 30 2026 | Environment
Consumers using cooking gas will not face an immediate price increase, despite calls from the West Indies Oil Company (WIOC) for higher prices, Prime Minister Gaston Browne has confirmed.
Browne made the announcement on Saturday during the Browne and Browne Show on Pointe FM, assuring households that the government will continue to keep the price of propane gas under control.
The assurance comes as motorists prepare to pay more for gasoline and diesel, with the government expected to increase both fuels by approximately EC$2 per gallon.
However, Browne made it clear that cooking gas will not be part of that adjustment.
“We continue to keep propane gas under price control and to deliberately keep the prices down,” the Prime Minister said.
According to Browne, WIOC has been pressing the government for several years to allow an increase in the retail price of cooking gas.
He suggested that the state-owned company could be absorbing losses because the regulated retail price remains below the actual cost of the product.
Despite the financial concerns, the government has opted to continue protecting consumers from higher cooking gas prices, particularly as households are already facing increased living costs.
Browne said the decision to raise gasoline and diesel prices was driven by the government’s inability to continue financing the existing subsidy on those fuels.
The planned increase means motorists will shoulder higher transportation and operating costs, but households using propane for cooking will, for now, be spared another increase.
The Prime Minister’s announcement provides some relief for consumers, with cooking gas remaining under government price control while gasoline and diesel prices rise.
