From Ekstra Bladet, Denmark, 15th May 1996
(Interview with Poul Joergensen about Henning Bjornlund)
By Kurt Simonsen
Tvind boss Poul Jorgensen, who only a year ago denied to this paper that he had any knowledge of Henning Bjornlund’s present existence, now confirms, when pressed, that be is still in close contact with the empire’s now defected financial director from 1970 to November 1989.
Tvind has according to Bjornlund himself— paid him and his wife about a quarter of a million kroner when they left Tvind. No other defectors have ever received money. On the contrary, they are forced to pay the firm afterwards. But then they have not had the same incriminating knowledge about Tvind’s finances.
As always, Poul Jorgensen starts by answering with a question:
"Are you calling from abroad?"
No I’m home again now, and I’d like to ask you a few questions.
"I read your articles today. I don’t think I’ll be answering your questions."
But you don ‘t know what I want to ask?
"Well, let’s see, then. In fact I only really comment on the Tvind School Association and other companies we run in Denmark."
Henning Bjornlund visited you in 1994?
"Is he supposed to have visited me? That’s just nonsense. He didn’t visit me."
The man isn‘t lying. I know he isn‘t. You spoke to him.
"I give you that answer because you aren’t getting the facts right. The fact is that Henning and I spoke face to face in Denmark in the autumn of 1994. That’s correct. We simply spoke. But he didn’t visit me."
Why were Henning and Vibeke given $50m each when they left Tvind?
"No comment ... anyway, that’s not true."
Why would Henning think that sort of thing up when he didn’t even know I’m a reporter?
"I’ve no idea."
Is it possible he took the money without you knowing?
"No, I don’t think that’s true either."
He had access to all kind of accounts?
"Well ... that’s not how I see it."
No other defectors take money with them from Tvind?
"No, and I don’t think Henning did either. But where their personal circumstances are concerned, I am making no comment," Poul Jorgensen answers.
WE OWN NO PLANTATIONS
Henning says that you still own plenty of plantations overseas? And he says that there is no element of third world development work in any of the plantations.
"I have not access to that or any interest in commenting about it. Faelleseje whose chairman I am, has sold the plantations which Faelleseje owned. And so has Estate. I think that was five years ago."
Henning Bjornlund says that you have put together companies and sold to yourselves so that you still own the plantations?
Lengthy pause...
"I can only repeat what I’ve already said. And what I’m saying corresponds with Faelleseje’s accounts."
Faelleseje does not co-own a single plantation?
"Faelleseje and Estate sold the plantations which they owned outright or in part. All that remains is a long-running compensation case about the expropriation of a plantation building on St. Vincent, as has been openly reported in Faelleseje’s annual accounts," the Tvind bureaucrat recites.
Most likely it is not Poul Jorgensen but Henning Bjornlund who is speaking the truth.
The fact is that Ekstra Bladet visited four of Tvind’s five plantations in Belize in March of 1993. At all four plantations, the directors were old Tvind people from the 1970s, co-founders of, among other things, Faelleseje and Estate.
But they may of course have left Tvind officially and bought their own personal tropical plantations.
.