Santo Domingo.- Industry and Commerce minister Manuel Garcia revealed Wednesday that fuel prices would either remain unchanged or even fall this week, because despite lower crude prices worldwide, the local market cannot immediately reflect it.

“We cannot say that fuel prices have lowered because until yesterday they’ve remained within the same range as previous weeks,” Garcia said, adding that despite crude’s price of 101 dollars yesterday, the figure is for delivery in one year.

He said the purchase reference is for a 15 day inventory, for which if petroleum falls today, it takes from 10 to 15 days to transfer that reduction to fuels. “An increase isn’t going to occur. I feel that it will remain the same or it’s going to have a reduction…”