DUTCH authorities will be seeking the permission of the government to send a team of investigators to Jamaica to probe the $31 million sent to the People’s National Party (PNP) last year by oil trader Trafigura Beheer, Opposition Leader Bruce Golding said yesterday.

Golding told a press briefing at the headquarters of the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP), Belmont Road, Kingston that he had received a letter from the Dutch police seeking his cooperation, and informing him that the cooperation of the government would also be sought.

He said that the communication from the department was received on Wednesday, February 21 stating that they had decided to conduct an investigation into the matter.

“We are advised of the investigators who have been assigned. The investigations are being conducted jointly by the National Police Internal Investigations Department and the Dutch National Prosecutor’s office,” Golding told reporters.

“Firstly, they sought confirmation of my willingness to be interviewed. I indicated to them that I stood ready. They are supposed to send a team of investigators to Jamaica, but they have indicated that they would need to have the agreement of the government and that a formal request was being prepared to be submitted to the government.

“My understanding is that unless the government agrees to allow the investigators to come, then they cannot proceed. I am not in a position to say whether or not that request has been communicated to the government. We will be in touch with the Dutch authorities. We hope that the communication, if it has not yet been transmitted, will be transmitted soon. We hope also that the government will be forthcoming in granting the necessary clearance for the investigators to come to Jamaica to conduct the investigations into this matter,” Golding said.

Yesterday, Donald Buchanan, the minister of information and development and chief spokesman for the government, told the Observer that while he was not aware of any requests from the Dutch authorities, the government would give consideration to any such request.

“They would have to make a request and the government would give consideration to it, because the government has nothing to hide,” Buchanan said.

The Trafigura Beheer scandal was first uncovered by the Opposition in October 2006 when it revealed information that the Dutch oil trading company had deposited $31 million into a fund-raising account held by the ruling People’s National Party (PNP).

The scandal resulted in the resignation of Colin Campbell, the then information and development minister and general secretary of the PNP. He was replaced by Buchanan. Campbell has, however, remained in the Senate.

At that time PNP officials claimed the money was a contribution to the party, but Trafigura denied the claim and stated that the transaction was purely commercial. However, the Dutch company has since reneged and said that the transaction was actually a donation to the PNP.

The JLP subsequently wrote the Dutch government, seeking its probe into the donation which the party said was in breach of Dutch laws.

Prime Minister Portia Simpson Miller has since ordered that the $31 million be returned to Trafigura. Buchanan said two weeks ago that it has been returned but no evidence to prove that the money has been returned has yet been offered.