…as gas stations run out of fuel

AS fuel stations at the town of Lethem ran out of fuel Friday morning, works were ongoing to remedy the impassable sections of the Georgetown/Lethem trail.
Reports are that all the gas stations at the Region Nine (Upper Essequibo/Upper Takutu) town were without gasoline on Friday morning. A Lethem businesswoman told the Guyana Chronicle that the pumps at the Takutu Gas station were closed when she turned up at the fuel depot Friday morning. It was noted that some gas stations had limited stocks of diesel.
Regional Chairman, Bryan Allicock, noted on Friday that while there is a shortage of fuel at the gas stations, work commenced on the problematic Hunt Oil Stretch on Thursday. He said the contractor, JR Ranch, is working to compact the affected area before commencing full works to ensure traffic can traverse the roadway without becoming stuck.
He noted that lighter vehicles are bypassing that section of the roadway via the savannah at the moment and according to him, the works should be completed during the course of next week in order to accommodate all forms of traffic.
Allicock said some persons volunteered prior to the commencement of works, by filling parts of the swampy Hunt Oil stretch with boulders. He said the affected part of the roadway stretches about half of a mile. Last week, two fuel tankers were able to venture past the Hunt Oil Stretch of road into Lethem. As such the Lethem Power Company is not affected by the current state of the roadway.
The Board of the Lethem Power Company can source fuel in the interim from Roraima State in neighbouring Brazil in any eventuality. Last week, Allicock said the “last resort” arrangement had been in place since the 2011 floods, which had almost decimated the Rupununi. But that plan, he said, would only be activated with the consent of the government.