Consecomercio

calls on gov't
to explain need
for gasoline hike
By Aaron W. Finkel game" to remain permanent
DailyJournal Staff rather than constantly chang-
ing as they have so often done
Consecomercio President in the past, he said. And to do
Edgar Romero Nava on Fri- that, he said, the government
daycalledon onthegovernment must control the fiscal deficit.
to fully explain the need for He also said it is essential
an increase in the price of for concertacionbetween the
gasoline. government, the business
Although the president of class and the working class to
the National Trade and continue into the new year
Services Council would not and for the private sector to
say whether he was for or be permitted to participate in
against the proposed increase the secondary petroleum in-
he said the fact that no valid dustry. "That," he said, "is
reason for the rise in prices the real and immediate im-
has been provided is inex- pulse e Venezuelan
cusable. "We have an energy economy."
and mines minister who tells As the first anniversary of
us that gasoline prices will t h e F e b r u a r y r i o t s
increase but who doesn't ex- approaches, Romero Nava
plain how it will work," he said it is high time something
said. is done to solve the country's
The argument that prices transportation problem,
must be raised to put them which was one of the main
more in line with interna- causes of the riots. "We're
tional standards is wrong, very concerned that the gov-
Romero Nava said. Sixty per- ernment has already lost one
cent of the price of gasoline year to delineate an effective
paid internationally is transportation policy," he
earmarked for taxes and 40 said.
percent corresponds to the Romero Nava claimed that
cost yet taxes are not that most workers pay 30 percent
high in Venezuela and this is o f t h e i r s a 1a r i e s o n
a petroleum producing transportation to and from
country so costs are minimal, the workplace which re-
he said. presents a "tremendous im-
Last Friday, Central Bank pact on their salaries."
President Pedro Tinoco and The Caracas Metro works
Planning Minister Miguel but that only solves the pro-
Rodriguez said the govern- b l e m o f E a s t - W e s t
ment intends to implement 15 transportation, the Con-
percent gasoline price hikes secomercio president said.
every two months during There is still no effective
1990. The officials said the means to travel North-South
hikes were necessary. to con- and the taxi situation must be
form with stipulations laid revamped, he said. "It (public
down by the International transportation) works in all
Monetary Fund. parts of the world. Why can't
In asking for an explana- it work here?" he asked.
tion the Consecomercio pre- Romero Nava also made a
sident asked "what are they plea to Congress to lower by
(the government) going to do three years the age exempt-
with all that money?" that ing minors from criminal
they collect from the higher punishment. Currently
gasoline prices. minors 18 years or under are
Looking towards 1990 not subject to criminal
Romero Nava said the health punishment. However,
of the economy rests on the Romero Nava said the pro-
firmness of the government liferation of juvenile delin-
in creating confidence in its quency merits that crimes
economic package. Busi- commited by juveniles 15
nessmen and investors •are years of age or older be sub-
looking for the "rules of the ·e t to criminal unishment.