Christie
steps into oil deal - Contractor General to probe
Trafigura arrangement with PNP
Jamaica Gleaner
Kingston
Petroleumworld.com
10 08 06
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.
Jamaica Gleaner
Wednesday | October 11, 2006
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