Seven days after the Opposition Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) unveiled the Trafigura Beheer scandal involving a $31 million transaction between the governing People's National Party (PNP) and the Dutch oil trading company, the Office of the Contractor General has launched an investigation into the Trafigura contract.
In a letter dated October 9 to Phillip Paulwell, the Minister of Industry, Technology, Energy and Commerce, Contractor General Greg Christie said in light of significant public interest in the Trafigura affair, he would now be initiating a formal investigation into the circumstances surrounding the award of a contract by the Government to the Dutch firm.
The Trafigura debacle has so far resulted in the resignation of Colin Campbell, Information and Development Minister and PNP general secretary. In his letter of resignation, Mr. Campbell said "having regard to the size of the contribution", he regretted that he had not shared the full details with the Prime Minister, the chairman of the party, Robert Pickersgill, and legal advisor A.J. Nicholson.
A commercial transaction
Several questions have been raised about the contribution to the PNP particularly, in light of a statement issued by Trafigura explaining that it conducted a "commercial transaction" with CCOC Associates, an account linked to the PNP as well as Mr. Campbell.
Mr. Christie told Paulwell in his letter that the findings of his probe will be submitted to Parliament.
The Contractor General has given an October 23 deadline for the Cabinet minister to provide "evidentiary documentation" on the contract.
"You are also required to provide the Office of the Contractor General (OCG) with authentic copies of documents to substantiate and corroborate all answers, which are provided to the foregoing requisitions," Christie said in his letter to Paulwell.
The Contractor General has requested the following information from the Minister:
Full name, address, telephone, email and representative contact particulars of Contractor
Date of execution of Contract
Name of GoJ (Government of Jamaica) Public Body which executed contract
Names and titles of all signatories to contract
Brief description of services to be rendered under contract by Contractor
Consideration to be paid by GoJ to Contractor
Whether any collateral or ancillary services, benefits and/or payments were provided for under, or contemplated by, the contract
Method of tender process utilized to award contract
Whether contract was endorsed by National Contracts Commission (NCC) prior to award
Whether contract was approved by Cabinet prior to award
If yes, dates of NCC endorsement and/or Cabinet approval
If contract was negotiated, state how, when, by whom (on the GoJ's side) and with whom (on the contractor's side)
State whether contract was subsequently renewed
If yes, indicate:
(a) dates of all renewals;
(b) process utilized to secure each such renewal;
(c) whether each contract renewal received prior NCC endorsement and/or Cabinet approval;
(d) If yes, the dates of each such NCC endorsement and Cabinet approval;
(e) If any contract renewal was negotiated, state how, when, by whom (on the GOJ's side) and with whom (on the Contractor's side).
State whether there are/were any other agreements between the contractor, on the one hand, and the GOJ and/or any public official, on the other, which are/were collateral to the contract or which are/were directly or indirectly linked to, or conditioned upon, its execution or performance
If yes, provide full particulars of all such agreements, inclusive of their material terms; the names of their parties; full particulars of how, when, by whom and with whom the agreements were negotiated; full particulars of any payments which were made or which are to be made thereunder; full particulars of the payor(s) and the payee(s); and full particulars of the disposition of any and all payments which to date have been made by the contractor or other person(s) under any such agreement.
