The Petrol Retailers Association (PRA) is waiting for the Bank of Mauritius (BOM) to inform them of its decision on the use of bank cards. But that is where it ends. They are no longer open to negotiations, not even for payments via the mobile applications Juice, POP or SBM. The Matinal Media has collected a statement from the President of the Petrol Retailers, Bhimraj Sunassee.
Rs 2.07 in full is more logical
Bhimraj Sunassee is clear. “We are collecting the fees during this transition period only for the sake of our customers. The banks will have to decide whether or not they want to match the 0% commission that Mauritius Telecom is offering us.” The petrol station owners are asking for the full Rs2.07 per litre of petrol and this is more than logical. The ball is now in the banks’ court.
Zero commission on mobile app payments
It is understandable that homeowners no longer want to be subjected to the “unbearable fees of banks“. According to the President of the Petrol Retailers Association, this ‘ban’ could even affect payments via mobile applications. “Given the latest fallout on mobile app payments, the banks will continue to impose a 0.5% fee on each payment. But Mauritius Telecom will offer its 0% commission via its mobile application as well, along with a host of other benefits to users. On the banks’ mobile applications, customers pay, just like on his bank card, a fee!”
No deadline set on transition period
The petrol stations were facing a bank levy of 1% on a litre of petrol, representing 30% on the profit margin on the litre of petrol, i.e. Rs 0.62 on Rs 2.07. They were negotiating with the banks for a reduction of this rate but they only got refusals. Mauritius Telecom, through MyT Money, will give them the full Rs2.07 on the litre of petrol. The Petrol Retailers Association has not yet set a deadline for the transition time. But they expect that customers will soon realise that payments via MyT Money will be more advantageous both for the petrol station and for them, unless the banks decide to align themselves with the competition launched by Mauritius Telecom in Cashless Payment.
