When police officers went to fill 'er up this weekend, they found that once again, credit was being denied to V.I. government employees, according to an unnamed source.
Leroy Gottlieb, owner of Gottlieb's Quickway, said Sunday morning, "I don't really know anything except the machine doesn't accept the card anymore."
The fuel supply was last cut off in July, when the government was $40,000 in arrears to Esso.
Carl Boisson, manager and vice president of Esso Virgin Islands, could not be reached for comment Sunday, as he is off-island on business, according to his wife.
After the government motor pool was closed early this year, Esso agreed to accept government-issued credit-card type "fleet cards" from government employees to buy gas for government vehicles.
Government vehicles can use the card at Gottleib's Esso station in Contant and the Tutu Esso station. Esso tallies up the amount of gas purchased at the end of each month and the government then has 60 days to issue reimbursement, which ends up giving the government 75 days of credit, Boisson said in July.
At that time the government owed Esso $172,000.
No one could be reached Sunday at Government House and Police Chief Jose Garcia did not return a phone call inquiring about the fuel cutoff.
A source said at least one officer was seen Sunday paying for gasoline with cash from his own pocket.
