From the Electronic Teelgraph:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk:80/et?ac=000154642417163&rtmo=VZjPGuZx&atmo=99999999&pg=/et/99/4/23/wjam23.html

JAMAICA'S Prime Minister, P J Patterson, has indicated that he is ready to abandon the 30 per cent rise in the tax on petrol that sparked two days of bloody riots in Kingston.

As police and the army yesterday removed many of the barricades that had blocked roads, the death toll in the capital rose to seven. A 6pm to 7am curfew is in force for the most troubled areas, including the opposition stronghold of Tivoli Gardens and the Seaview Gardens district, one of several where police stations were attacked this week. Even by day the normally bustling city is almost empty.

Eddie Seaga, leader of the opposition Jamaica Labour Party, led a lively march of about 10,000 people, mostly women. He called for peaceful demonstrations against the April 15 budget which has led to a 50 per cent rise in the price of petrol.

With some households running out of food, a few supermarkets opened cautiously for short periods. One businessman said: "I can't afford to lose one more day of revenue. My overdraft interest rate is 44 per cent."

Mr Patterson has appointed an academic, a trade unionist and a banker to report by Sunday on other options to the petrol tax increase, which the government says was needed to maintain health and education spending in the face of crippling debt repayments.

The British High Commission is advising against "non-essential" travel to Kingston.

-- Old Git (anon@spamproblems.com), April 22, 1999

Answers

Old Git...Can't happen in the US??? Wanna bet???

In the 1973-74 gas lines, there were people beaten--not many, but it happened. And this over just a 2-2 1/2% decrease in the availability of imports. What happens if Venezuela, Brazil, etc. go down? Kosi says we'll use our reserves and we'll be fine. Well, latest consumption figures from the netsite of American Petro Association says that our reserves are not filling as fast as Billy said they would. We have an estimated 33 days of oil at our present rate of consumption.

What do you bet the general public will NOT get any of this oil? IMHO it will go to the utilities, government agencies like police, fire etc, and to major providers of other infrastructure. (Water company, gas co-ops, etc.) Should get very interesting when JQYuppie cannot get fuel for his SUV or Billy Redneck can't fill his truck. (OhMGod, does this mean NO FUEL FOR THE SKI BOAT??) I do not know if it will result in riots here in the US but I sure would not want to own a conv. store with gas pumps. No matter what you do you'll catch the blame from someone....maybe violently.

Got a bike??

-- Lobo (atthelair@yahoo.com), April 23, 1999.

Sorry. Reread my post after the submit. I did not mean to imply you said it couldn't happen here. Trying to be sarcastic and didn't proof well enough.

-- Lobo (atthelair@yahoo.com), April 23, 1999.