 DominicanToday.com - Consumer Protection Agency (Proconsumidor) director Altagracia Paulino revealed Thursday that propane gas plants swindle customers out of as much as 50 percent of the money paid for each gallon, affecting 2.2 million homes.
"The least we’ve discovered is that are people are duped one gallon for each five users pay in gas by volume. In another we found up to 50%," the official said.
She said the sale of gas by volume instead of by weight jeopardizes 2.2 million households. "We made the determination that gas must be weighed because there’s no distortion there."
Paulino, Interviewed on Telemicro 5, said to halt the fraud against Dominicans her agency ordered each station to have a scale so customers can weigh their tank before and after filling.
Major gas supplier charged with fraud back in court next week
The Superior Arbitration Court yesterday scheduled a hearing for next week on the criminal complaint filed against the propane gas supplier Propagas, which challenged the fines levied by the Consumer Protection Agency (Proconsumidor), for alleged fraud against customers.
Presiding judge Delfina Acosta set the hearing for September 19, when the court will hear the testimony of an expert witness on standards and quality control.
The court also ruled to accept as evidence documents from various consumer defense groups that joined the lawsuit.
It’s the third time the Court reschedules the hearing on Proconsumidor’s legal action against Propagas.
Dominican Watchdog Note: Nobody jailed, just business as usual in the Dominican Republic!!!
|