By RAMON ALMANZAR
SANTO DOMINGO, Dominican Republic
The Dominican Republic is seeking to acquire full control of an oil refinery jointly owned with Royal Dutch Shell PLC in a bid to stabilize domestic fuel prices.
President Leonel Fernandez said Thursday that the treasury minister has been authorized to begin negotiations for the company’s 50 percent stake in the Refidomsa refinery, which produces 30,000 barrels of fuel per day, just under a fifth of the Caribbean country’s daily consumption.
In a broadcast speech largely devoted to a new energy conservation program, Fernandez said the joint-ownership arrangement has prevented the Dominican Republic from expanding the refinery — which would let it import its full fuel quota under Petrocaribe, a Venezuelan program that provides oil to Caribbean nations under preferential terms.
“We are not suggesting that Shell has been a bad partner,” the president said.
Shell said earlier this year it was conducting a strategic review of its stake in Refidomsa, an indication that it was willing to sell. Company officials did not immediately respond Friday to a request for comment.
Refidomsa, on the outskirts of the Dominican capital, has been in operation since 1973. The government and Shell each hold four seats on the board of directors, though the company runs operations.
The Dominican Republic can import up to 50,000 barrels per day under Petrocaribe, which allows participating countries to finance a portion of their costs long-term at low interest rates. But the country has been able to bring in only about 35,000 a day, the government says.
Gas prices approaching $5 per gallon have sparked protests in the Caribbean country, which imports all its fuel.
Fernandez also said the government would try to increase fuel conservation by reducing traffic congestion in the capital and converting buses and taxis to run on natural gas.
http://www.businessweek.com/ap/financialnews/D8SUSSPO0.htm
This website and sisters royaldutchshellplc.com, shellnazihistory.com, royaldutchshell.website, johndonovan.website, and shellnews.net, are owned by John Donovan. There is also a Wikipedia segment.
Royal Dutch Shell conspired directly with Hitler, financed the Nazi Party, was anti-Semitic and sold out its own Dutch Jewish employees to the Nazis. Shell had a close relationship with the Nazis during and after the reign of Sir Henri Deterding, an ardent Nazi, and the founder and decades long leader of the Royal Dutch Shell Group. His burial ceremony, which had all the trappings of a state funeral, was held at his private estate in Mecklenburg, Germany. The spectacle (photographs below) included a funeral procession led by a horse drawn funeral hearse with senior Nazis officials and senior Royal Dutch Shell directors in attendance, Nazi salutes at the graveside, swastika banners on display and wreaths and personal tributes from Adolf Hitler and Reichsmarschall, Hermann Goring. Deterding was an honored associate and supporter of Hitler and a personal friend of Goring.
Deterding was the guest of Hitler during a four day summit meeting at Berchtesgaden. Sir Henri and Hitler both had ambitions on Russian oil fields. Only an honored personal guest would be rewarded with a private four day meeting at Hitler’s mountain top retreat.
IN JULY 2007, MR BILL CAMPBELL (ABOVE, A RETIRED GROUP AUDITOR OF SHELL INTERNATIONAL SENT AN EMAIL TO EVERY UK MP AND MEMBER OF THE HOUSE OF LORDS: 
MORE DETAILS:
A head-cut image of Alfred Donovan (now deceased) appears courtesy of The Wall Street Journal.
