Fuel delivery strike over

Even with the end of the drivers’ strike officially at a negotiated end, the country’s fuel stations will take some time again to be fully operational.

Some stations won’t get supplies until the Tuesday after Easter by which time the effects of the transport strike will have worked through the distribution system.

The Drivers’ union says the problem would be solved in 48 hours, by the end of Sunday but this is the case for the majority of filling stations.

Storage tanks at several filling stations were filled up yesterday afternoon, Thursday, after an agreement was announced.

To speed up the process, the union said that many of its driver will be working over the holiday weekend confirms.

APETRO, which represents the oil companies, said that the major problem, will be over by the end of Friday but warned that an full service should be back on by the end of Monday.

The fuel retailers association, ANAREC, estimates that 80% of the 3,000 outlets in the country ran out of supplies, mainly due to people panic buying.

The National Union of Dangerous Goods Drivers and ANTRAM reached agreement on Thursday night, after a 10-hour meeting with the Government.

At eight o’clock in the morning, the Minister of Planning, Pedro Nuno Santos, announced the end of the strike and spoke of “social peace” until the pay agreement is finalised by the year end

The first meeting will take place on 29 April and will cover salary scales, the introduction of danger money, special training, life insurance and specific medical examinations.

Road transport companies warn that buses will only be back on full schedule only when the fuel network again is fully operational.

The three day strike nearly ensured made the country grind to a halt over a holiday long weekend with panic buying the major cause of fuel shortages.