Trinidad and Tobago removes credit payments at gas stations

A number of Trinidad and Tobago's fuel stations will stop accepting card payments from today in an effort to save costs.

The country´s Petroleum Dealers Association (PDA) has decided to enforce a cash-only payment policy at gas stations across the country to cut operating costs, reports the Guardian.

PDA president Robindranath Naraynsingh explained that fuel retailers pay banks between 1.3% to 3% for each electronic payment. Limited by the price-control national policy, he said that in order to not have to lay off employees to reduce costs, retailers had decided to drop bank payments.

“We want to see growth across the board in the retail petroleum industry, and we refuse to sacrifice staff and the reliability of our services to the public,” said Naraynsingh.

In Trinidad and Tobago fuel prices are set by the Ministry of Energy and Energy Industries, in conjunction with the Ministry of Finance.

The PDA said in a press release: “This is the least jarring measure we can take to keep our nation's gas stations in operation, thereby keeping the vehicles in our hard-working population fuelled as well.

Finance Minister Colm Imbert informed this week that National Petroleum Marketing Company (NP) gas stations must continue accepting debit and credit card transactions.