Chathams under the (petrol) pump

THE closure of the only petrol retailer in the Chathams has led to a serious fuel shortage.

Mayor Monique Croon, who ran the Waitangi Hardware outlet, said the business had been losing money and she had been unable to negotiate a solution with the Chatham Islands Enterprise Trust.

The closure meant residents were left to order drums of petrol to come over via ship and the situation was ‘‘desperate’’.

Trust chairperson Alison Turner said many residents had petrol in storage and most vehicles ran on diesel.

But petrol was needed for dive boats, cars and agricultural and domestic use.

‘‘We definitely have a problem . . . it is a situation that needs addressing, and we’re doing our damnedest to find a solution . . . . I would probably hesitate to say we’ve got a crisis just yet.’’