We did some digging and found that in July of 2008 - when world oil prices were at an all time high - around 140 dollars per barrel - what's known as the landed cost of fuel was $7.39 per gallon on July 5, and $7.65 on July 28th. The pump price at that time was 11.16 and 11.50 respectively - which was considered high at the time.

But right now, the world price for oil is hovering around the ninety dollar per barrel mark - yet the pump price for fuel is almost thirteen dollars! So why is that?

Well, the landed cost right now - quite surprisingly - is 7.68 per gallon - three cents higher than when oil was trading for 140 dollars a barrel!

So then - that suggests to us that there has to be something odd in what's called the buildup - the accumulated costs and margins - which are all secret - that factored into that landing cost.

We don't know what those costs are because the Ministry of Finance says that it has a confidentiality agreement with PUMA Energy to conceal those figures from the public.

But a part of the high price is also the tax. It's one dollar and twenty-six cents higher than it was in 2005 and now comprises almost a third of the pump price.

But, the bottom line is that landed cost - how does it get so high when world oil prices are so much lower than they were in 2008? We asked that question via email to PUMA Energy - but they said they had no comment at this time.

What we have observed as well is that studying the average retail pump price for premium fuel in Belize which is on the left of your screen, against the US price - which is in the middle - you'll see that the difference is generally below four dollars.