KINGSTON, Jamaica — RUBiS Energy Jamaica has dismissed, as “inaccurate, defamatory and misleading”, accusations made by Jamaica Gasoline Retailers Association (JGRA) President, Philip Chong surrounding a recently refurbished service station on Main Street in St Ann’s Bay, St Ann.

The response follows a threat by the JGRA, to shut down the petroleum retail trade if the company did not withdraw the decision to terminate the operator’s dealership license for the mentioned service station, which RUBiS said was reopened last Friday.

Read: Petrol trade shutdown looms

RUBI, in a news release late Thursday, said the JGRA erroneously claimed that their decision to rescind the contract of the St Ann’s Bay operator will cause ethical and legal breaches, and that RUBiS only notified the dealer of renovation plans then advised of the taking over of operations following the completion of same.

The petroleum marketing company explained that the multi-million-dollar modernisation exercise was undertaken, under its management, to elevate the safety and standards of the facility for the benefit of the St Ann’s Bay community.

In dismissing the accusations, RUBiS’ CEO Alain Carreau, explained that the company had been engaged in contractual negotiations with the operators of the St Ann’s Bay Service Station since 2015. “These negotiations continued up to June 2016 without success,” he said.

Carreau asserted that due notice of the pending severance of the business relationship was given when the operators were informed of the decision to not move forward with their contract to operate at the location on July 19, last year.

He stressed that the company has dealt with the matter in private and will continue to do so, within the confines of the law, and through good business practice and principles.