By The Observer Staff (Basseterre, St. Kitts) ” Just in time for Christmas, the price of gasoline is ticking up again, but it looks to end the year at a substantially lower cost than it did at the beginning of the year. The prices of unleaded gas announced by the Finance Ministry as of Dec. 24 are: Delta Service Stations $12.24 per gallon Shell Service Stations $8.44 per gallon Texaco Service Stations $12.24 per gallon This increase follows the pattern of international crude oil prices. Last week, oil was traded for under US$35 per barrel. The price was hovering around US$40 per barrel today, but some economists expect the price to fall again as few indicators point toward a lessening of the current economic slowdown before the middle of the coming year. When oil was lower a week ago, the prices were set at the following on Dec. 19: Delta Service Stations $12.24 per gallon Shell Service Stations $7.74 per gallon Texaco Service Stations $12.24 per gallon At the start of 2008, gasoline cost more than it does now. On Jan. 9, the maximum prices were set at: Delta service stations – $12.37 per gallon Shell service stations – $12.40 per gallon Texaco service stations – $13.07 per gallon The highest price level in the Federation was set on July 1, when the cost of crude oil began to take off. The ministry announced these prices: Delta Service Stations $18.59 per gallon Shell Service Stations $16.27 per gallon Texaco Service Stations $15.29 per gallon
