Gasolene retailers decry tedious licensing process

• Mayor McKenzie promises to get tough on unregistered dealers
• Association president says most are registered and waiting for approval

TREVOR HEAVEN, president of the Jamaica Gasolene Retailers Association (JGRA), admits that there is merit to Kingston Mayor Desmond McKenzie's claim that the majority of the gas stations in the Corporate Area are operating without a trade licence.

However, Heaven stated that as far as he was aware most, if not all, of the stations registered with the JGRA have already filed their applications and are awaiting approval.

Heaven was responding to McKenzie's announcement last week that gas stations and pharmacies topped the list of more than 14,000 delinquent businesses operating within the Kingston and St Andrew Corporation (KSAC) without a trade licence.

The mayor said the KSAC would aggressively be going after them to collect the millions outstanding, that was needed to fund road repairs and street lights.

Heaven said the JGRA recognised that gas station operators have to go through a tedious and time-consuming task to get all the necessary paperwork needed to regulate their businesses. So they recently met with Mining and Energy Minister James Robertson to have the ministry be a "one-stop shop" in meeting all the requirements.

aware of responsibility

"We know we have a responsibility that all our members comply with the regulations required to operate, and we are doing whatever we can to assist them in that process," Heaven told The Gleaner.

He added, however, that not all gas stations in the Corporate Area were members of the JGRA.

Meanwhile, Radcliffe Goulbourne, deputy registrar of the Pharmacy Council of Jamaica, said under the Pharmacy Act, all its members have paid up their required registration fees, ranging from $23,000 to $32,500 per annum, depending on their operational licence. However, concerning the trade licence fee, he said that would fall under the purview of the Inland Revenue Department, the KSAC and other relevant bodies.

Valerie Germain, president of the Pharmaceutical Society of Jamaica, said although her organisation was a professional body and not a regulatory one, she encouraged members to pay the fee.

"We stand for integrity and professionalism, so we would not condone those operating without being properly regulated," she said.

The $5,000 trade licence fee is due annually on April 1.