United Progressive Party leader Jamale Pringle has pledged to urgently convene talks with the West Indies Oil Company and public transport stakeholders to address rising fuel costs, positioning the issue as a central concern for voters ahead of the April 30 general election.
According to Antigua News Room, Pringle made the commitment while speaking at a UPP rally, warning that the cost of living — particularly the price of gasoline and food — has reached a point requiring immediate intervention.
"Everybody is worried about the price of gas, food and the election," he told supporters, describing the situation as "a matter of urgency" that would be treated as a priority under a UPP administration.
Pringle said a UPP government would move quickly after taking office to engage directly with WIOC, the state-owned petroleum company, to examine fuel pricing and identify how relief could be delivered to consumers.
He also outlined plans to meet with stakeholders in the bus and public transportation sector, where operators have long raised concerns about the impact of high fuel prices on fares and daily operations. Those discussions, he indicated, would form part of a broader fuel relief package aimed at easing pressure on both drivers and commuters.
Pringle stopped short of providing details on the structure or cost of such a package, but signaled that the goal would be to ensure ordinary citizens benefit more directly from the country's energy framework.
Fuel prices have remained a prominent political issue in the lead-up to the election, with households and businesses alike citing transportation and energy costs as key drivers of rising expenses.
Pringle framed the planned consultations as part of a wider effort to tackle cost-of-living challenges, indicating that any fuel measures would be linked to broader economic relief policies under a UPP government.
