At least two organisations have expressed disappointment in statements made on Tuesday night by Prime Minister Portia Simpson Miller, on the Trafigura Beheer scandal that has rocked the Government.
The Prime Minister had dismissed the Opposition's motion of no confidence, which was eventually defeated, after more than seven hours of debate. Both the ruling People's National Party (PNP), and the Opposition Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) voted along strict party lines. At the end, the vote read 33 for the Government and 23 for the Opposition.
Mrs. Simpson Miller denied that there was any "impropriety" involved in PNP accepting the $31 million from Trafigura, insisting it was a donation to the party. She accused the Opposition of scoring political points by being involved in the breaching of financial laws.
PM not forthright
But president of the Private Sector Organisation of Jamaica, Beverley Lopez, told The Gleaner/ Power 106 News that the Prime Minister was not forthright on the matter.
"My hope is that she will really get to the bottom of what has taken place and really tell the nation the full story," Lopez said.
Reacting to the insistence of the Prime Minister that there was no "impropriety" in accepting the money, Mrs. Lopez said: "If there is no impropriety, then why are we sending back the funds? I believe that we have not got to the full story."
Susan Goffe, chairperson of lobby group Jamaicans for Justice (JFJ), said there were still many unanswered questions. She said there was need for full disclosure surrounding the Nigerian oil deal, the relationship with Trafigura and the transaction with Trafigura and the Government.
And political analyst, Shalman Scott, said he was also disappointed in the Prime Minister's speech.
"The whole Trafigura affair is smelly and I was disappointed in
the Prime Minister's use of the opportunity that she had yesterday (Tuesday)," he said on Independent Talk on Power 106 yesterday.
Scott said her presentation failed to clear the cloud on her involvement in the Trafigura affair.
