The Supreme Court is to set a date to hear an application to excuse former Prime Minister Portia Simpson Miller from the Trafigura bribery case.

Lawyers for Simpson Miller this morning indicated that an “urgent” application for a court order was filed last week.

K D Knight, the attorney representing Simpson Miller, disclosed that the application is supported by an affidavit from Dr Denise Eldemire Shearer.

Eldemire Shearer is a Professor of Public Health and Ageing at the University of the West Indies, Mona.

It was noted that the application is in regard to a medical issue.

Knight said a medical certificate has been submitted as part of the application.

“The most honourable Portia Simpson Miller is not here for a reason and that is stated in the affidavit,” Knight told the court.

But High Court Judge Stephanie Jackson Haisley indicated that a date and time will be set for the hearing of the application.

“But today we are here for a particular purpose,” Jackson Haisley said.

“Until we find a date and time for that we are going to proceed,” the judge insisted.

Businessman Norton Hinds is the first of five People’s National Party (PNP) functionaries set to answer questions from authorities in the Netherlands about a $31 million donation the party received from the Dutch firm Trafigura Beheer.

The financial contribution was made while Jamaica, under the leadership of the Simpson Miller Administration, had an oil-lifting agreement with Trafigura. 

Dutch firms are prohibited from making donations to foreign governments. 

Simpson Miller, former chairman Robert Pickersgill, Phillip Paulwell,  former general secretary Colin Campbell and Hinds are the persons to testify.  

Hinds is about to begin answering questions.

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