Golding: We are not easing up. - File

The Government will be forced today to break its silence on its involvement in the Trafigura Beheer saga, when it will have to use its majority to throw out the Opposition's no-confidence motion.

Last week, Opposition Leader Bruce Golding moved the no-confidence motion declaring "lack of confidence in the Government or in its ability to provide good governance to the people of Jamaica."

This was one week after he divulged information involving the Dutch company, where a J$31 million transaction was made to an account known as CCOC Associates, which bears the signature of former Minister of Information and Development, Colin Campbell.

At first, the People's National Party (PNP) denied any wrongdoing and claimed that the money was a 'donation' to the party, despite the Government having a business arrangement with the company.

Forced to resign

The company in its first statement responding to the incident, denied that it was a donation, but that it was a commercial transaction.

This led to Mr. Campbell being forced to resign from his ministerial posts and as general secretary of the party. He has, however, held onto his seat in the Senate.

Mr. Campbell, in his resignation letter, had said that he had not divulged information on the transaction to his colleagues.

But on Friday, at the swearing-in ceremony of newly-appointed Minister of Information and Development, Donald Buchanan, Robert Pickersgill, chairman of the PNP and Minister of Water, Housing, Transport and Works, said today he expects 'closure' on the issue.

While conceding that the motion is likely to be defeated because of the Government's majority, Mr. Golding on Saturday hinted that he had more information to disclose on the Trafigura Beheer scandal.

"We are not easing up. Come Tuesday (today), it is going to be a battle on the floor of the Parliament. If they even use their majority to prevail, we are going to chip away at this Government," he said at an apprecia-tion dinner for workers in Derrick Smith's North West St. Andrew constituency.