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

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.