Mobil Oil Mariana Islands increased to $4.809 a gallon its gas price in the pump on Monday afternoon from $4.629. Shell stations are anticipated to do the same.
Acha Cruz, a staffer of House Minority Leader Oscar M. Babauta, Covenant-Saipan, said since gas prices soared to new highs she doesn’t go home anymore for lunch to save on gas.
She lives in Chalan Kanoa while her office is located on Capital Hill.
“No more roaming around,” she said.
Another lawmaker’s staffer who asked not to be named said the majority of her earnings now go to payments — for gas and electricity.
“Imagine — you’re just working to pay for your gas and the Commonwealth Utilities Corp.,” she said.
The cost of electricity on the islands has more than doubled since 2006.
Each time the price of fuel from Singapore increases, CUC adjusts its fluctuating electric fuel rates to pass on additional charges to consumers based on how much it pays for the imported oil for its power plants.
Another legislative staffer said the prices of food have also gone up during recent weeks.
“Now you have to budget everything just to survive,” she said.
Another staffer said people are taking on other jobs just to get by.
The Associated Press said analysts project global demand for oil to continue to rise, especially in China as demand for reconstruction work in the aftermath of the May 12 earthquake picks up.
This paper’s story about the latest round of gas price hikes got several comments on the Variety Web site.
“Gas just keeps going up,” according to one of the posted comments. “If everyone here in Saipan does not put gas in ONE day we can make a difference and I mean no one puts gas for just one day. We the people can change something. I came back to Saipan from Virginia because I love the island but the economy just blows dust away. The minimum wage still doesn’t beat the gas prices — totally RIDICULOUS!”
Ed Propst, publisher of MP Magazine, said: “I traded in my V-6 SUV and bought a four-cylinder Honda Fit Sport. I used to spend $20 a day on gas. Now I only spend $40 a week. Huge difference. From 12 miles per gallon to 30+ miles per gallon.”
A Tinian resident suggested that employers look into a four-day work week at 10 hours per day.
“This reduces the amount of time that people have to commute, thereby reducing the amount of money they spend on gas, and reducing the emissions to the atmosphere,” the resident said.
