A press release issued yesterday afternoon, said: "The Embassy of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela would like to inform the people of Guyana" that a Panama-registered vessel, MT Caribbean Pearl, arrived in Guyana's waters at 3:00 a.m. yesterday and entered port at 9.45 am.

The release said: "this supply of fuel constitutes an extraordinary shipment to attend to the emergency that the Government of Guyana presented last week through the Prime Minister Samuel Hinds."

It added that with the shipment, the Venezuelan government had helped the people of Guyana avoid suffering a crisis, "that already began to be noticed with the closing of some gas stations, which will be able to resume their services."

"With this delivery of fuel, Venezuela ratifies its politics of cooperation and solidarity to guarantee direct benefits for the people of Guyana and the other Caribbean countries. Likewise, it shows its disposition to work for the economic and social integration of the people of Latin America and the Caribbean."

A number of Guyoil gas stations had run out of, or run low on, fuel supplies, especially gasoline. On Monday, some of these stations were closed.

Another shipment of gasoline and other petroleum products is expected some time this week. Reports reaching this newspaper said some gas stations were demanding higher than usual prices at the pump for gasoline.