Edmond Campbell, Senior News Coordinator

People's National Party Chairman Robert Pickersgill (left), and Colin Campbell, PNP general secretary, in a pensive mood at a PNP press conference yesterday where they denied claims by Opposition Leader Bruce Golding that the party had used state funds to finance its annual conference last month. The press conference was held at the party's Old Hope Road headquarters. - Rudolph Brown/Chief Photographer

The top brass of the People's National Party (PNP) yesterday used a string of adjectives to reject suggestions from Opposition Leader Bruce Golding that the party received $30 million in state funds from Dutch firm Trafigura Beheer, to finance the party's activities.

In a scathing response to the Opposition Leader's statement on Tuesday, chairman of the party, Robert Pickersgill, described Mr. Golding's allegations as "spurious, baseless and absurd."

According to Mr. Pickersgill, the $30 million from Trafigura Beheer, a Dutch company involved in the trading of Nigerian oil on behalf of Jamaica, was a contribution towards the party's upcoming election campaign.

Speaking yesterday at a press conference at PNP headquarters on Old Hope Road, St. Andrew, Mr. Pickersgill also denied allegations that party officials received favours from the company.

"I condemn the Opposition Leader's shameful and outrageous attempt to scandalise the PNP and its leaders and state categorically that the party has received no funds that were due to the state," he told journalists.

He stated that all contributions received by the party are above board, noting that the party is willing to disclose this information if the JLP gives a commitment to do the same.

Mr. Pickersgill accused Mr. Golding of deliberately staging the events that unfolded in Parliament on Tuesday in an attempt to shift focus from the censure motion against Opposition MP, Karl Samuda.

Asked whether he felt that the contribution from Trafigura was inappropriate in light of the business relationship with the Government, Mr. Pickersgill argued that it was not unethical.

He sought to assure Jamaicans that the Portia Simpson Miller-led administration would not "sell out the country for $30 million, and to be doing this with a company with the reputation of Trafigura".

Commenting on state funding of political parties, Mr. Pickersgill said his party was ready to debate the issue, which is included in a private member's motion now before the House of Representatives.

The Bill dubbed The Registration of Political Parties and Funding Act was tabled by Independent MP, Abe Dabdoub.