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Local heavy equipment operators hit by higher diesel cost @the pump

Many heavy equipment operators speaking to our news centre on condition of anonymity across the Virgin Islands (VI), including on the sister islands, have been hit hard by the higher cost of diesel. Photo: Internet Source/File
Reports are that diesel shot up over the past week from around $4.50 cents per gallon to almost $6.50 per gallon at some gas stations. Photo: Internet Source/File
Reports are that diesel shot up over the past week from around $4.50 cents per gallon to almost $6.50 per gallon at some gas stations. Photo: Internet Source/File
EAST END, Tortola, VI- Many heavy equipment operators across the Virgin Islands (VI), including on the sister islands, have been hit hard by the higher cost of diesel.

Speaking to our news centre on condition of anonymity, the heavy equipment operators are reporting that diesel shot up over the past week from around $4.50 cents per gallon to almost $6.50 per gallon at some gas stations.

What it means, according to the heavy equipment owners, is that the cost of hiring heavy equipment by the public or government, such as Excavators, Bulldozers, Backhoes, Pump Trucks, Crawler Cranes, Dump Trucks, Hydraulic Cranes, and Concrete Trucks, to name a few, will cost more as owners must pass this extra diesel cost on to customers.

Higher cost to build and for works  

This will also drive up the cost of private sector construction and affect many current Government contracts.

The Administration of Dr Natalio D Wheatley (R7) announced last week a technical committee to monitor the price of gas and other goods and services, as a result of the American-Israeli war against Iran.

Our newsroom will follow up on gas stations that represent the higher prices of diesel throughout the VI.

14 Responses to “Local heavy equipment operators hit by higher diesel cost @the pump”

  • vip 13 (27/03/2026, 14:37) Like (16) Dislike (3) Reply
    No price control
    No Consumer Control
    No laws to protect you at the Pumps,


    ALL 13 Must Go
  • Prices (27/03/2026, 14:55) Like (12) Dislike (1) Reply
    We have to monitor things for a bit we can’t keep moving because the gas has gone up. If it comes back down will the prices drop? I don’t think so
  • .... (27/03/2026, 15:18) Like (18) Dislike (0) Reply
    price to move a pallet gone up...supermarkets going pass it on to us...yet paycheck aint going up
  • Mr. Howard Jackman (27/03/2026, 15:35) Like (7) Dislike (2) Reply
    This must happen the government failed the ppl of Virgin Islands by refusing to regulate price gauging in the Territory. The fuel here is the same stock they have before the War started and from time that happened the cost rushed upward. There had been no restocking and continues to up, but you'll hear the news when the new stock comes in you'll see the cost going through the roof on everything and this will be the receipe for disaster as the bandits and armed robbers will target these places because of what the government has allowed. Their failures to regulate unduly price increases. Just sickening.
    • M.D. (27/03/2026, 17:03) Like (7) Dislike (0) Reply
      I saw a local gas station raise their prices 3X in under 5 days and they sure as hell didnnt import fuel 3 times in that length of time
  • Fran (27/03/2026, 15:53) Like (6) Dislike (2) Reply
    This is not even a catch-22; damned if you do, damned if you don't. We cannot protest because we have no other choice. If we don't pay for the diesel, we will be at a standstill, not getting our work done. Everything that happens worldwide affects us here on our small islands. Thanks, Trump!
  • You crazy (27/03/2026, 16:04) Like (10) Dislike (4) Reply
    How do you know if your diesel.comes from Iran??..

    Just prepping for higher charge
  • smh (27/03/2026, 16:14) Like (10) Dislike (0) Reply
    Just a way to milk to government contracts some more! Talking bout diesel prices already, price control on them damn gas stations that always raising when something happening and never lowering when it’s over with!
  • asking for a friend (27/03/2026, 17:52) Like (1) Dislike (0) Reply
    Where we does get our gas and diesel? I thought it was from venezuela.
  • Anonymous (27/03/2026, 17:58) Like (1) Dislike (1) Reply
    Only vino does bring us balance news
  • Wellsah (27/03/2026, 19:11) Like (1) Dislike (0) Reply
    eat the cost you already over charge. just let the chinese come to rebuild core infrastructure instead of these local crooks.
  • Informed (27/03/2026, 19:40) Like (2) Dislike (0) Reply
    And the shipping companies, freight companies, the delivery drivers and the taxi drivers and the Ferry operators, The tourists sailing or motoring. The list is endless. Prices have gone up with the tarrifs and the fuel has gone up also. Everyone pockets are getting very shallow the way the world is working currently.
  • Laugh now (27/03/2026, 20:16) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    This is just the tip of the iceberg I been warning for decades and all I have gotten is ridicule and abuse. I am so sorry for the children who will go to bed hungry and feel the pain as life gets harder. I lived trough this many years ago with my own family words can hardly describe the pain and misery but according to Bunny Wailer curiosity has taught me a little common sense. Why is it that the system feeds off the fear and blood of the children we saw it in Gaza we saw it at the latest attack on Iran and now we are seeing it across the world. No one wants to deal with reality we keep entertaining well dressed lies.
  • one eye (28/03/2026, 10:22) Like (7) Dislike (0) Reply
    Free the drew free up the gas prices


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