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published: Wednesday | March 5, 2008
ROBERT PICKERSGILL, chairman of the People's National Party (PNP), and senior party members Phillip Paulwell and Colin Campbell yesterday met with Dutch investigators in relation to the Trafigura affair.
Norton Hinds, a PNP functionary, is also to be interviewed by the Dutch investigators.
Senior PNP member K.D. Knight, of the law firm Knight, Junor and Samuels, which is representing the PNP officials and functionaries, said a date has not yet been set for Hinds to meet with the investigators.
Knight has asserted that the Trafigura investigations are politically motivated.
"It seems to me to have a political flavour to it," Knight told The Gleaner yesterday.
The Dutch investigators are pursing a criminal probe against one of their firms, Trafigura Beheer, which donated $31 million to the PNP last year.
Under Dutch law, companies are prohibited from making such donations.
When the Trafigura saga broke last year, Campbell, who was a government minister at the time, was forced to resign as the money from Trafigura turned up in an account belonging to him.
Prime Minister Bruce Golding, who as opposition leader unveiled the scandal, piloted a bill in Parliament which allowed for the visit of the Dutch investigators.
On an initial visit, the PNP officials refused to meet with them. Knight said that it was because the procedures to meet had not reached a point where the PNP members could be available. Details of yesterday's meeting were not available.
ROBERT PICKERSGILL, chairman of the People's National Party (PNP), and senior party members Phillip Paulwell and Colin Campbell yesterday met with Dutch investigators in relation to the Trafigura affair.
Norton Hinds, a PNP functionary, is also to be interviewed by the Dutch investigators.
Senior PNP member K.D. Knight, of the law firm Knight, Junor and Samuels, which is representing the PNP officials and functionaries, said a date has not yet been set for Hinds to meet with the investigators.
Knight has asserted that the Trafigura investigations are politically motivated.
"It seems to me to have a political flavour to it," Knight told The Gleaner yesterday.
The Dutch investigators are pursing a criminal probe against one of their firms, Trafigura Beheer, which donated $31 million to the PNP last year.
Under Dutch law, companies are prohibited from making such donations.
When the Trafigura saga broke last year, Campbell, who was a government minister at the time, was forced to resign as the money from Trafigura turned up in an account belonging to him.
Prime Minister Bruce Golding, who as opposition leader unveiled the scandal, piloted a bill in Parliament which allowed for the visit of the Dutch investigators.
On an initial visit, the PNP officials refused to meet with them. Knight said that it was because the procedures to meet had not reached a point where the PNP members could be available. Details of yesterday's meeting were not available.
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