And so was that improved showing the product of increased campaign financing? That's the question we had to ask after Michael Ashcroft's widely
reported visit to Belize last week. Widely reported except no report reached the Leader of The Opposition, apparently:…
Jules Vasquez
"We all know that Lord Ashcroft recently."
Hon. Francis Fonseca - Opposition Leader - PUP
"I didn't know."
Jules Vasquez
"I did know and it has been reported. A lot of people are speculating that perhaps he was here to inject some money into the PUP campaign machine as he
has in the past. He has been a significant contributor to both parties in Belize. Did he give anything?"
Hon. Francis Fonseca
"I didn't know he was here."
Jules Vasquez
"It was on the news, the Amandala editorial."
Hon. Francis Fonseca
"I didn't know he was here."
Jules Vasquez
"So you and him had no meetings?"
Hon. Francis Fonseca
"I didn't know he was here."
Jules Vasquez
"Did your national campaign manager know that Mr. Ashcroft was here?"
Hon. Francis Fonseca
"Not to my knowledge. He's been out of the country for the past 4 days."
Reporter
"Lord Ashcroft has been seen in recent weeks. He's released a fury of speculation that there is some money being pumped some where. I know he was a
very special place in your heart. You think that speculation will hurt or help the PUP at this time right before election?"
Cordel Hyde - PUP Standard Bearer, Lake I
"It would appear to me to be more mere speculation because we haven't felt it. I think there has been a clear separation from Lord Ashcroft and the PUP
over the last few years. There's no indication that he's present in anything. So I think it's mere speculation."
Jules Vasquez
"But the national campaign manager is the boon companion of Mr. Ashcroft."
Cordel Hyde
"Yeah, but if that was such a great relationship, if it was one that was going to pay dividend for the PUP then we would have felt it by now. I haven't
seen any evidence of that."
Jules Vasquez
"You've seen evidence of the opposite?"
Cordel Hyde
"That is so."
Reports say Ashcroft left yesterday – and later on you'll hear what the Prime Minister had to say about his visit.
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