Another fuel rise

The screen play for raising fuel prices has become monotonous. The boring show starts with an “independent” columnist at Al Rai starts to wring his hands about the budget deficit. Next, press leaks to the effect that there is a budget deficit, and that government subsidies are going to help the rich. Here it is forgotten that the government blames high inflation (which actually hurts the poor) on fuel price increases. This is a simple example of trying to have things both ways: subsidies don’t help the poor, and inflation is due to the elimination of the subsidies. Next there is an exaggerated rumor as the extent of the price rise. This is to make people grateful that the rise was not as bad as it might have been. Next, a promise to float the prices so that they reflect world oil prices, implying that someday prices might actually go down. Ha Ha.

At least this time we might be spared the coupon shtick. You never know.