Arthur Hall, Senior Staff Reporter

( L - R ) Simpson Miller, Knight, Campbell

Dutch investigators in the island to probe an alleged attempt by officials of Trafigura to bribe members of the former administration are reportedly not satisfied with answers provided by senior representatives of the People's National Party (PNP).

PNP officials, including its president, Portia Simpson Miller, chairman, Robert Pickersgill, and former general secretary, Colin Campbell, met with the Dutch investigators last week.

But sources say the answers provided by the PNP officials did little to assist in the investigation.

According to the sources, the investigators have since met with officials of the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions in an attempt to determine whether they could get any assistance from that office.

However, so far, there has been no word out of that meeting.

Former government minister K.D. Knight, of the law firm Knight, Junor and Samuels, which is representing the PNP officials, told The Gleaner that his clients gave the investigators all the information they had.

Not aware of request

According to Knight, he is not aware of any request from the Dutch team to further question his clients.

Knight did not rule out further questioning, but argued that the Dutch team would have to follow the prescribed legal route.

The Dutch investigators are pursuing a criminal probe against Trafigura Beheer, which donated $31 million to the PNP in 2006.

Under Dutch law, companies are prohibited from making such donations, which are considered bribes.

This is punishable under sections 177 and 178 (a) of the Dutch criminal code.

When the Trafigura saga broke last year, Colin Campbell, who was the PNP's general secretary and the minister of information, resigned, as the money from Trafigura turned up in an account belonging to him.

Prime Minister Bruce Golding, who was then the Opposition leader, released the information and demanded a full investigation.

He was later to pilot a bill in Parliament which allowed for the visit of the Dutch investigators.

During the team's 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.

The Dutch investigators are expected to leave the island this week.