Ministerial Direction on Retail Fuel Pricing Update
Summary
The Hon. Alexa N. H. Lightbourne, Minister of Home Affairs, issued an update on April 18, 2026, regarding a ministerial direction issued on April 15, 2026, to keep retail fuel prices at their current level due to instability in the Persian Gulf. The Regulatory Authority communicated with licensed importers effectively allowing price increases, prompting an emergency meeting on April 17. The Minister has invited the RA Board to urgently reconsider the communication that led to the increase and to make its decision public.
What changed
The Minister issued a directive on April 15, 2026, to the Regulatory Authority to prevent retail fuel price increases due to Persian Gulf instability, with customs duty relief planned to cover importer shortfalls. The Regulatory Authority subsequently communicated with licensed importers allowing price increases, triggering an emergency meeting and prompting the Minister to request the RA Board reconsider.\n\nLicensed fuel importers and retailers face uncertainty as the Regulatory Authority Board must now decide whether to uphold or reverse the price increase communication. The Government has committed to using lawful mechanisms to prevent price increases and protect Bermudian households from higher living costs.
Archived snapshot
Apr 19, 2026GovPing captured this document from the original source. If the source has since changed or been removed, this is the text as it existed at that time.
Ministerial Direction on Retail Fuel Pricing, Update
18 April, 2026
The Hon. Alexa N. H. Lightbourne, JP, MP, Minister of Home Affairs, issues this update on the Government’s action to keep fuel prices from rising to protect Bermudian families and businesses from higher costs.
On Wednesday 15 April 2026, the Minister issued a formal Directive to the Regulatory Authority (RA). The purpose was to proactively keep retail fuel prices at their current level and prevent increased prices at the pump due to the instability in the Persian Gulf.
At the same time, the Ministry of Finance advised that it would offer a customs duty relief measure, building on the approach used successfully in 2022 when fuel prices were last frozen. This is intended to ensure that licensed fuel importers and retailers are not affected while fuel prices are frozen. In other words, the Government will cover any verified revenue shortfall for licensed importers during this period.
Despite this coordinated action from the Government, fuel prices were increased after a communication from the Regulatory Authority to licensed importers, which effectively gave them the go-ahead to increase prices.
In response, an emergency meeting was held on the morning of Friday, 17 April 2026, involving the Government, the Regulatory Authority’s executive team, and the commissioners, to address any concerns.
Today, the Minister has written to the Regulatory Authority and its Board and has invited them to urgently meet and reconsider that communication which led to an increase, in keeping with the 2026 Ministerial Direction on retail fuel pricing. The matter now rests with the Regulatory Authority Board. The Ministry has also asked the Regulatory Authority to make its decision public and trusts that the Board will act in the public interest at a time when many families and businesses are already feeling financial pressure.
Minister Lightbourne said, Minister Lightbourne said, “The Ministry will use every lawful mechanism available to prevent price increases and to protect Bermudian households from higher living costs.”
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