2006年VOA标准英语-Iraq Black Market Fuel Prices Increase as Suppl

By Brian Padden
Irbil, Iraq
22 August 2006
 
watch Gasoline report

The Iraqi economy is suffering from a shrinking supply of subsidized fuel and the rising price of fuel that is readily available on the black market.  

A government-subsidized gasoline station has a long line of taxis and private vehicles  
  
At official fueling stations in Irbil, Iraq, gasoline is sold for less than 25 cents a liter.  The government sets the price and subsidizes the costs. But the supply of this cheap fuel is decreasing. Stations are being forced to ration¹ fuel.   There is plenty of gasoline to be found on the streets in the unregulated black market. That gasoline currently costs one dollar a liter.  

Taxi driver Hamza Karem says the gas shortage at official stations and the rising prices on the black market are very much related. "I'm wondering where they get the fuel on the streets.  Sure, they bring it from the official station because they can sell it for more."

 
Unofficial "gas stations" have gasoline available, but at incresingly higher prices
  
Abdullah Malah runs this black market supply depot². He admits he has purchased fuel from refineries³ in Iraq that was intended for official fueling stations.  "I paid 300 Iraqi dinar for one liter when the official price was 250 dinar.  I paid for it and transported it back myself."

Some economists⁴ say the growing corruption⁵ of the fuel subsidy⁶ program is just one reason why the government should let market forces determine the price of gasoline.  Salahaddin University economics professor Mohammed Barwary says the fuel subsidy program is also costing the Iraqi government billions of dollars.

 
Mohammed Barwary
  
"For each liter of gasoline, the government pays $1.50 in subsidy. If we calculate 10 million liters multiplied by 1.5, it will be $15 million just for the Kurdistan Region. If we collected for all of Iraq it will be two to three billion dollars.   We could use this money for development and other programs."

Professor Barwary says, over time, the subsidies⁷ must be abolished. He believes the price of fuel must go up so that the energy industry can increase supply by building more refineries and fueling stations to meet demand. 

1 ration   

n.定量(pl.)给养，口粮；vt.定量供应

参考例句：

• The country cut the bread ration last year.那个国家去年削减面包配给量。
• We have to ration the water.我们必须限量用水。

2 depot   

n.仓库，储藏处；公共汽车站；火车站

参考例句：

• The depot is only a few blocks from here.公共汽车站离这儿只有几个街区。
• They leased the building as a depot.他们租用这栋大楼作仓库。

3 refineries   

精炼厂( refinery的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The efforts on closedown and suspension of small sugar refineries, small saccharin refineries and small paper mills are also being carried out in steps. 关停小糖厂、小糖精厂、小造纸厂的工作也已逐步展开。
• Hence the sitting of refineries is at a distance from population centres. 所以，炼油厂的厂址总在远离人口集中的地方。

4 economists   

n.经济学家，经济专家( economist的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The sudden rise in share prices has confounded economists. 股价的突然上涨使经济学家大惑不解。
• Foreign bankers and economists cautiously welcomed the minister's initiative. 外国银行家和经济学家对部长的倡议反应谨慎。 来自《简明英汉词典》

5 corruption   

n.腐败，堕落，贪污

参考例句：

• The people asked the government to hit out against corruption and theft.人民要求政府严惩贪污盗窃。
• The old man reviled against corruption.那老人痛斥了贪污舞弊。

6 subsidy   

n.补助金，津贴

参考例句：

• The university will receive a subsidy for research in artificial intelligence.那个大学将得到一笔人工智能研究的补助费。
• The living subsidy for senior expert's family is included in the remuneration.报酬已包含高级专家家人的生活补贴。

7 subsidies   

n.补贴，津贴，补助金( subsidy的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• European agriculture ministers failed to break the deadlock over farm subsidies. 欧洲各国农业部长在农业补贴问题上未能打破僵局。
• Agricultural subsidies absorb about half the EU's income. 农业补贴占去了欧盟收入的大约一半。 来自《简明英汉词典》