Patience was the order of the day, late Friday and most of Saturday as motorists lined up at both gas stations to get much-needed fuel.
The stations had declined to purchase more fuel from Delta Petroleum once their tanks ran out last Wednesday to express the need for the Government of Montserrat to decide about their ongoing request for a better retail margin on fuel.
As word spread that the Northern station would be opened on Friday afternoon, motorists assembled awaiting service. However, they were left disappointed as an agreement had not yet been signed. Lines stretched down Sweeneys into Davy Hill and officers from the Royal Montserrat Police Service were eventually sent out to manage the traffic.
The A&F station in Sweeneys was the first to dispense fuel on Saturday around noon. With a steady line of vehicles waiting to be filled up, an average of two cars every four minutes, proprietor Ashley Lindsey told Discover Montserrat.
No final agreement has been reached; Lindsey shared. The decision for both stations to reopen was to alleviate the pressure that motorists were under.
The Osborne Service Centre in St. Peters opened a few hours later once they had received fuel and completed the standard tests.
The stations are calling for a margin percentage of 10% of the price per gallon and for it to be a percentage, not fixed dollar-cent figure, in order to protect against fuel market price changes.
The Government of Montserrat is expected to share its offer to the stations on Monday.
