Trafigura says donation to Jamaican political group returned
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| Published on Saturday, March 10, 2007 |
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By Grant Smith
LONDON, England (Bloomberg): Trafigura Beheer BV said its payment to a group tied to Jamaica's governing party was returned as the Caribbean nation's state-run oil company invited bidders for a crude contract handled by the Dutch commodity trading firm.
"We can now confirm receipt of the monies, which were sent by wire in the appropriate manner via the international banking system," Trafigura said Friday in an e-mailed statement. The company said in October that payments to political groups might "well result in perceptions of conflict." The company said then that "no illegality" occurred.
Dutch investigators will travel to Jamaica to probe a J$31 million ($459,000) donation by Trafigura to the ruling People's National Party, the Caribbean Media Corporation news agency reported Friday, citing the opposition Jamaica Labour Party.
Trafigura said it had no information on why Dutch authorities "may or may not" be going to Jamaica.
Calls to the Dutch prosecutors' office, which would be involved in any investigation, weren't immediately returned.
Petroleum Corporation of Jamaica, or PCJ, the Caribbean nation's state-run oil company, is tendering for a contract to handle about 11 million barrels a year of Nigerian crude, managed by Trafigura.
The 12-month contract will be valid from October 1, PCJ said in a document on its Web site. The deadline for bids is April 30, PCJ said.
PCJ will auction the contract for the first time since 2000, Radio Jamaica reported yesterday, citing Ruth Potopsingh, PCJ's managing director. The oil company last year said the accord with Trafigura expired in December 2005, though it would allow the closely held Dutch commodity trading company to handle the oil while a new tender was prepared, the report said.
Trafigura is aware that PCJ is seeking bidders for the contract, a London-based spokesman, who declined to be identified, said Friday by telephone. |
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